Qin Jiangqiu, also known as Qin Sanniang, didn't care at all about her eldest son's gaze; the child was too sensitive. She quickly pretended to take out a few coins from her sleeve and distribute them to everyone, saying that she had bought them from a peddler before, and that they were very cheap, and she had bought a lot! After saying that, she patted the basket on her back, implying to everyone that she still had many more.
"Third Aunt, my teeth aren't good, so these candies are for the children," Liu murmured, waving her hand. Thankfully, her eldest daughter had recovered; yesterday had terrified her. If her daughter were gone, how could she, a lame old woman, raise these three children? Although Third Aunt was also a helpless widow, at least the two adults could discuss things together.
Seeing that her daughter was awake and in good spirits, Liu finally felt a little tired and planned to take a nap in the shade. She still had to travel, and besides, she wouldn't be hungry if she fell asleep.
“Mother, you have to eat this, it'll give you strength. I'll quickly cook some porridge, you rest for a while.” Turning to the three children, she said, “You all eat a piece too. And you must watch Grandma eat. Mother will cook porridge for you, so you can travel well when you're full!”
The three children's eyes sparkled. They hadn't had porridge for days, and although the brown sugar cubes were enough to satisfy them, the aroma of the grains seemed even more enticing. Hearing their mother say this, they nodded vigorously!
Having accepted their mother's task, the three children urged their grandmother to eat, otherwise they wouldn't eat.
Qin San Niang wiped her sweat; she would never admit that she was still a little guilty. Just yesterday she was a resentful woman who had struggled for years without conceiving a child, and now she was a mother of three! This situation truly required a strong mental fortitude. Qin San Niang gave herself a thumbs up!
I hefted the rice bag. Is this millet? It's a dark yellowish-black, or maybe sorghum. Oh well, as long as it's rice, it'll do. There's also a bunch of wild vegetables that Liu had gathered around. They've been washed clean, and they've wilted a little after being in the sun for a while, but that's alright. I can chop them up and add them to the porridge; they'll fill me up…
I picked up the knife, which was already chipped in several places—it was so dull! Oh well, I resigned myself to chopping.
Qin San Niang found a dark earthenware pot, which was probably used for cooking porridge.
There was a small river not far away, so we were fortunate that we didn't run out of water!
I quickly went to the river to fetch water and also gathered some firewood. There was plenty of that; there were many weeds and dead branches by the roadside, enough for a meal with just a quick gathering.
Before long, the fragrant millet and wild vegetable porridge was ready.
The children smelled the aroma of food and rushed over. Their eyes shone even brighter than those of the Persian cat her best friend used to keep.
Liu Shi also dragged her unsteady legs over, "Third Sister, why are there so many millet grains? I wonder when we'll be able to reach Luzhou?"
The next city was Luzhou, according to Liu Shi who had heard about it from the refugees who had gone there. As for where Luzhou was, and whether it was even possible to enter, she didn't know. However, she had some silver on her, which she could exchange for some food for her children.
Liu didn't suspect that her eldest daughter had been replaced by a different soul. She just thought that the girl was starving and it was reasonable for her to want a good meal. As for what to eat next, digging up some wild vegetables would be enough to fill her stomach.
The eldest child looked around and said with unusual worry, "Mother, people might be coming soon, we have to finish eating quickly."
There have been occasional incidents of people scrambling for grain lately. He is eleven years old and the eldest son in the family. His father has passed away, and he has to shoulder the responsibilities of a man!
Qin San Niang really wanted to say, "Little one, you're only eleven years old, you're really worrying too much!" But what the child said made sense, so she didn't hold back her praise.
"Big Brother is right, Mother, Little Brother, and Little Sister, come and eat your porridge quickly. After you finish eating, rest for a while and then we have to continue our journey!" This place is in the middle of nowhere, and Qin Sanniang is very worried about the weather. If it rains at night or there are wild animals, it would be really scary!
In her previous life, her combat skills weren't high either. Although she graduated from the Armed Police Academy, she was only forced by her parents to learn Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) for a few years. Later, she entered the police academy and learned combat skills from her senior brothers for a few years. As for weapons, she only learned to shoot a few simple police guns. As for accuracy? That really depended on the right time, place, and people! This level might be passable if she fought a couple of refugees, but if she were to deal with wild beasts, well, that would be laughable.
Anyway, although the wild vegetable and millet porridge really didn't look very appetizing, the kids ate it with great relish. They were all sticking their heads into the big wooden bowl. And Xiao Er, your snot is going to get in your mouth if you don't wipe it off soon.
However, it was really difficult for her, a person with a slight obsession with cleanliness, to wipe the child's nose with her bare hands. In the end, the older child just grabbed a leaf and used it to wipe the younger brother's nose.
Qin Sanniang inwardly praised, "Da Wa'er is truly excellent!" Although she particularly liked dolls, asking her to play the role of a doting mother right off the bat was a bit much. Qin Sanniang figured it was understandable, since the child wasn't her own.
After finishing her meal, Qin San Niang quickly cleared away the dishes and went to the river to wash them. Don't worry about them not being clean; there's no dish soap available these days, not even wood ash. Washing them is better than not washing them at all.
After finishing their meal, the children didn't rest. Anan and Xiao Er helped their grandmother pack up her baskets, while the eldest child filled his gourd with water for drinking on the way. He also put away the small hoe used for cooking and digging for wild vegetables, as these were all tools for eating.
It has to be said that poor children learn to be independent early, especially children on the road of refugees; they are all outstanding!
Looking at the blazing sun overhead and the surrounding trees, Qin San Niang quickly calculated that it was probably August or September in summer?! It was so hot! She missed air conditioning, fans, and ice cream and cold drinks. She decided to just keep going. As for cold drinks? The supermarket did have some, but she hadn't figured out how to get them out yet. Besides, even if she could get them out, given the family's current weak digestive system, they wouldn't be able to eat them.
Liu's legs were weak; it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, and she probably wasn't fully healed yet. Logically, she shouldn't be enduring such hardship. But she couldn't worry about that now. If only they had a horse-drawn carriage, an oxcart, or even a donkey cart, that would be great, but unfortunately, they didn't have one.
"Mother, I wonder if there are any donkey carts for sale in the town ahead? We should buy one when we get there, it'll be much faster that way!"
Knowing that her eldest daughter was worried about her legs, Liu felt comforted. However, a donkey cart wasn't cheap, and although she had more than twenty taels of silver, she dared not spend it easily. It wasn't that she wanted to keep it for herself, but rather that she wanted to provide some security for her daughter and grandson.
"Third Sister, please don't say that. My legs are fine." If one day she really can't walk anymore, Liu Shi plans to stop. She absolutely cannot be a burden to her eldest daughter and children. She has lived half her life and has never caused trouble for anyone!
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