The man felt a deep headache. If Wan Jun were half as smart as Wei Xun, he wouldn't have to worry every day about his honest and simple subordinate being deceived.

He picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea: "I'll go to the city again later and see if I can pick up Wei Xun."

Wan Jun's expression turned serious: "Master, Wei Xun's lightness skill is superb, he will be fine. We have been staying in the city for several days, which has wasted a lot of time. Your medicine is almost used up. Why don't we set off for the capital now?"

"Wait a little longer."

Wan Jun said anxiously, "We can't wait any longer. The doctor said that the medicine the master is using can only suppress the poison, not cure it. If we can't get to the capital to find a divine doctor to treat him before the medicine runs out, even if the poison is cured in the future, the master's eyes will still be damaged."

The man put down his teacup and said firmly, "We must wait."

He was too lazy to explain to this slow-witted subordinate.

Those people have already tracked him to the vicinity of Donglin City. It's a small matter if he exposes his whereabouts, but we can't let it be revealed that the children are also here.

That person is naturally suspicious. If she finds out that I bypassed the capital and came to Donglin City from the border before returning, she will definitely be suspicious and investigate thoroughly.

Although Wei Xun had lured away the group chasing him, no one knew if there was only one group of their people nearby. If they continued on their way now, they might be discovered by others, and he couldn't take the risk.

To be on the safe side, he had to wait for Wei Xun to return and make sure there were no people following him before he could leave with peace of mind.

Even if the price is losing one's own eyes.

————? ??? ?

Here, before a cup of tea.

Xiao Yunsong led the oxcart across the street: "Little sister, why is she coming this way?"

After Duan Yingying's mother came out of the pawnshop, she walked in this direction with her head down, seemingly deep in thought.

Xiao Yunying huddled inside her cloak: "This is the direction to the market. I guess she's going to buy food. Hey, big brother, what should we call her?"

Xiao Yunsong thought for a moment: "The Duan family are outsiders. Our family and their family don't usually have any contact. I really don't know what to call them."

In ancient times, people addressed others not only by age but also by seniority.

Even if they are not related by blood, people will still refer to each other's seniority in the family to show respect.

As they drew closer, Xiao Yunying became anxious and called out, "Yingying's mother."

After calling her that, I realized it was inappropriate. In the village, people usually only call someone's mother by their own age or by their elders.

Having already called out, Xiao Yunying shamelessly continued, "You've come to the city to buy things, haven't you?"

Duan Yingying's mother's distressed expression faded somewhat when she saw Xiao Yunying, and she managed to force a smile.

"Yes, Miss Xiao, are you also in town to buy things?"

"I'm here to deliver a New Year's gift to a friend. I'm heading back to my village now. Are you done with your work? Let's go back together."

Duan Yingying's mother patted the money pouch in her sleeve, a look of embarrassment on her face: "I just arrived and I'm about to go buy some grain."

We can't buy anything else, but at least we can make sure the children have enough to eat.

Xiao Yunying pretended not to notice the strangeness in her expression: "Go quickly, we'll wait for you here."

"No need, it will only take up your time. I can go back by myself."

"Did you hitch a ride on someone else's oxcart?"

She asked that on purpose. Now that it's cold, Old Zhang is too old to handle it and hasn't driven the oxcart for a long time.

People who don't own an oxcart and want to go to town have no choice but to walk or hitch a ride with someone from the village.

No, I walked here on my own.

Xiao Yunsong said, "What else is there to say? You go and buy the grain. We'll wait for you here. It's so close to the grain shop, you'll be back in a bit."

"That's too much trouble..."

Xiao Yunying couldn't stand Duan Yingying's slow and dawdling nature; she preferred Duan Yingying's personality.

Not wanting to waste any more time with the other person, her words became firmer, losing their previous gentleness.

“It’s getting windy now. Walking back will not only be cold and tiring, but it will also waste time if you walk against the wind. If you can get back sooner, you can do more embroidery. You should go quickly. You’ve already walked halfway there while we’re talking.”

He thought to himself: If you keep dawdling, I'll immediately tell my brother to drive the oxcart away.

Duan Yingying's mother blushed slightly: "Thank you very much, Miss Xiao and Young Master Xiao. I'll go buy the grain now."

Xiao Yunying swung her legs, and the wind she stirred up seeped into her cotton trousers through her cuffs, making her shiver with cold.

"Big brother, it's getting windy. Are you cold? Do you want to go to Sister Cheng Yue's place and buy you a cotton coat?"

"No need, brother isn't like you girls who can't stand the cold. Besides, I'm dressed warmly enough, I'm not cold."

After the two had been talking for a while, Duan Yingying's mother came briskly from the direction of the market. Xiao Yunying pushed the basket next to her back and patted the cart.

"There are ducks and geese behind you, it's not clean. Sit here."

Duan Yingying's mother put the cloth bags of grain onto the oxcart and sat down herself: "Thank you, Miss Xiao and Brother Xiao."

Xiao Yunsong patted the cow's back: "No need to thank me, we're from the same village, it's on the way. Hold on tight, we're off."

The oxcart swayed and rattled towards the city gate. Xiao Yunying pulled her arms back into her cloak and said, "Um... I don't know how to address you."

Duan Yingying's mother said somewhat reservedly, "I should be a few years younger than your mother. My maiden name is Qin. You can call me aunt or maternal aunt."

Xiao Yunying understood. Since they weren't proper relatives and Duan Xiucai was gone, she didn't have to go through her husband's side of the family, so the way she addressed him didn't need to be so formal.

"Then I'll call you Aunt Qin. Aunt, please don't call me Miss Xiao anymore, just call me Yunying."

Xiao Yunying glanced at the thin cotton coat she was wearing and the bag of black flour weighing no more than ten pounds, and frowned slightly.

They only bought this little bit; how many days will it last for the mother and her two daughters?

It's almost Chinese New Year, and we can't even afford to eat white noodles, let alone meat.

She recalled the two sisters' unusually large eyes because their faces were thin, especially the younger one, who looked very much like Luo Xin, the first person she saw when she came into this world.

Those big, wet eyes, that timid little look.

Oh no, I'm starting to get too sentimental.