Jiang Sheng is right. None of us have parents, so why should we be supported by others? There shouldn't be anyone here who eats for free.
In the deep, secluded mountains, three people are faster than two, and in just half an afternoon, they had already picked two bundles of mushrooms.
Zheng Ruqian carried a bamboo basket on his back, while Fang Heng carried a bundle.
Jiang Sheng rarely didn't have to carry any weight, and she felt particularly uneasy. After thinking for a while, she picked a dozen or so mushrooms, put them in her clothes, and carefully followed behind her two older brothers.
They encountered familiar villagers on the road, who stared wide-eyed at the three children and asked, "Little Jiang Sheng, who are those two in front of you?"
“It’s my brother,” Jiang Sheng answered loudly.
The villagers were even more puzzled. This little girl had been wandering in the village for five or six years. When did she get a brother?
“These really are my brothers, this is my second brother, and this is my third brother,” Jiang Sheng introduced proudly. “I also have an older brother, but he is sick.”
"Oh, four children," the villager sighed. "It's such a tragedy to throw away such well-behaved children."
But as they lamented, none of them were wealthy enough to feed an extra mouth.
I hope the little girl's brother will treat her well.
Back in the dilapidated temple, Zheng Ruqian couldn't help but mutter, "When did you assign us the order?"
“Of course, it’s according to the order in which we met you.” Jiang Sheng said matter-of-factly. “It doesn’t sound good to call you by your names. From now on, you can call me Big Brother, Second Brother, and Third Brother.”
“But didn’t you meet me first?” Zheng Ruqian said anxiously. “I should be the older brother.”
Jiang Sheng didn't speak, but glanced at Xu Mo who was copying the book.
When it comes to the upright, incorruptible, and gentle elder brother aura, Zheng Ruqian is far superior to Xu Mo.
“You…” Zheng Ruqian was initially quite indignant, but thinking that Xu Mo was indeed more outstanding in his words and deeds, he could only force himself to comfort himself, “It’s okay, at least he’s not the third one.”
Fang Heng, "..."
Fine cracks appeared on the expressionless face.
Jiang Sheng originally planned to dry the mushrooms for three more days, but Xu Mo finished copying the book in just two days and needed to exchange it for a new one.
With no other option, Jiang Sheng could only pack the mushrooms into bamboo baskets and sell them at the market.
Last time, I dried more than half a bamboo basket in three days, and this time, with about the same amount, I filled the entire bamboo basket.
Jiang Sheng seemed to be deep in thought.
After selling all the mushrooms, I checked my copper coins and found that I had as many as twenty.
"I made four more coins than last time," Zheng Ruqian exclaimed. "Just because I dried the leaves one less day?"
The brother and sister looked at each other, as if they had discovered a new continent.
After exchanging the two copied books, today's income is a full twenty-eight coins.
Jiang Sheng was extremely excited. She had never seen so much money before and was at a loss for how to allocate it.
"Let's buy some rice and noodles," Fang Heng suggested, unusually. "Mushrooms seem to be more expensive than rice and noodles; it would be a waste for us to eat mushrooms."
Actually, he ate mushrooms for three days in a row, which made him dizzy and lightheaded, and he never wanted to see mushrooms again.
“Okay.” Jiang Sheng nodded vigorously.
When they went to the market to ask, they found that refined rice and flour were expensive, but sorghum and brown rice flour were very cheap. Jiang Sheng picked the coarsest kind and bought five catties of each, which only cost five coins.
There's no need to buy vegetable leaves; wild vegetables grow everywhere in the village, and you can just pick a little bit to use.
As Jiang Sheng passed by the meat stall, her mouth began to water uncontrollably.
She hadn't eaten meat in a long time. At first, she was too embarrassed to steal things, but later she learned that her brothers couldn't accept scavenging leftovers, so she honestly cooked mushrooms to eat.
But Jiang Sheng still craved meat, even just a sip of meat broth would be enough.
But they earned twenty-eight coins today, saved twenty coins, and could only spend eight coins.
Knowing that five coins were spent on rice and flour, only three coins remained, which probably wouldn't even buy a pig's tail.
Jiang Sheng squatted in front of the butcher's stall, looking it over, and finally focused her gaze on the pork bones in the corner, which were almost devoid of meat. "Boss, give me a pork bone."
"Young lady, what do you want this bone for?" the shopkeeper asked, puzzled. "There's not even enough meat scraps left on this bone to fill your teeth."
Jiang Sheng swallowed hard. "I just love gnawing on bones."
Alright, the shopkeeper stopped talking and weighed out a large pork bone at one copper coin for two catties. "Five catties in total, give me two copper coins."
Jiang Sheng happily paid the money, carrying the pork bones as if they were priceless treasures.
Fang Heng followed behind, and casually pulled her into his arms.
So, Jiang Sheng failed again.
She glanced at the ten-pound bamboo basket on Zheng Ruqian's back, then at the large pig bones in Fang Heng's arms, and a surge of joy welled up in her heart.
If the initial reason for keeping them was simply out of pity or a desire for protection.
At that moment, Jiang Sheng suddenly understood the meaning of companionship.
"Jiang Sheng, how are you going to eat this pork bone?" Zheng Ruqian suddenly turned his head, his mouth full of saliva.
Jiang Sheng, "..."
Most of the joy I felt just now has faded away.
"Boiling in plain water won't do the job well." Fang Heng rarely uttered such words.
After all the joy had faded, the two picky eaters actually complained about her cooking skills.
Jiang Sheng was still fuming, but she still passed by the condiment shop and carefully bought a penny's worth of salt.
One coin can buy two steamed buns, half a pork bone, but only a small bag of salt.
Jiang Sheng expressed her deep sorrow and indignation.
Back at the dilapidated temple, Xu Mo was still fast asleep.
Jiang Sheng rushed over, about to pull the blankets up for him, when Xu Mo suddenly opened his eyes.
When he saw the three familiar children, he breathed a sigh of relief and lowered his guard. "You're back."
"Yeah, I bought pork bones. We're having bone broth noodles today," Jiang Sheng boasted. "Big brother, you're in for a treat!"
Not Xu Mo's older brother, but the more intimate older brother.
Xu Mo's heart skipped a beat, and he stood there stunned.
He was an only child and had always hoped to have a younger brother or sister, but his mother's belly remained empty.
Unexpectedly, after the sudden change in her family, she was able to meet two younger brothers and a younger sister.
This feeling... is pretty good.
Xu Mo slowly curled the corners of his lips into a smile. "I'm looking forward to it."
However, this anticipation turned into astonishment upon seeing the large, sticky bowl.
"Big brother, I'm not very good at making noodles." Jiang Sheng rubbed his hands, which still had bits of dough on them, and said shyly, "I've only ever seen Aunt Zhang make them this way."
Unexpectedly, the dough wouldn't cooperate once I started handling it.
It's either too much water or too much flour.
What was originally intended as a single meal gradually increased to three meals.
That's bad enough, but the dough was too soft, so it wouldn't hold its shape when cut, and no flour was sprinkled on it to prevent stickiness. As a result, the originally elastic, thin noodles turned into sticky, soft lumps.
The bone broth wasn't simmered to a thick, milky white consistency, nor was any fishy smell removed. You can imagine how bad the taste of this pot of broth was.
At least there's salt.
Xu Mo didn't mind, took the bowl of noodles, and sipped the rough, coarse noodles.
Having eaten mushrooms without salt and rotten vegetable leaves boiled in plain water, he considered these delicacies delicious.
Fang Heng and Zheng Ruqian didn't complain, they finished eating obediently, and cleaned up the dishes.
Jiang Sheng took out twenty copper coins from his pocket and hid them, along with the previous copper coins and two gold beans, at the feet of Buddha.
It's been ten days since we returned from the clinic, and in five more days it will be half a month, time to change Xu Mo's dressing.
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