Everyone was startled, after all, the little fox had been very well-behaved these past two days, not mischievously biting things, and not running around.
You could even say he's lazy; all he does is eat and sleep. If he catches Jiayin lying next to him, he can stay still for an hour or two.
Last night, the boys came home and playfully tugged at its tail, and it didn't bare its teeth or try to bite. What's wrong with it now?!
Jiayin quickly patted the little fox to calm it down.
Seeing the vendor frightened and trying to avoid him, Zhao Yuru felt very apologetic and said, "I'm sorry, young man, this little fox is probably just shy around strangers. Don't be afraid."
The vendor chuckled dryly and replied, "It's nothing, it's nothing, I was just suddenly startled... Is this a little fox? It looks like a puppy."
Perhaps feeling insulted, San Tiao started baring his teeth at the vendor again.
Zhao Yuru didn't dare to delay and quickly bought two plaques.
The vendor was delighted and added, "Sister-in-law, I'm not lying. These two amulets were truly offered at the temple and are incredibly effective! Take them back and give them to your students; they'll guarantee academic success and pass every exam."
"Okay, okay, thank you for your kind words." Zhao Yuru nodded with a smile, then put away the token and left with the others.
No one took the little incident to heart and continued chatting and shopping.
Jiayin hugged the little fox and scolded it softly, "Why were you so naughty the first time I took you out to play? From now on, we'll have to keep you locked up at home when we go out!"
The three little ones looked a bit aggrieved, their little ears drooping, their tiny black eyes blinking, making them look especially pitiful.
Jiayin said a few words, feeling a little reluctant to leave. Occasionally, she would turn around to look and see the vendor in the distance seemingly packing up his stall, which would make her heart skip a beat.
The main customers of this commercial street are students.
During the day, shops and vendors alike slack off and kill time, only officially opening for business in the late afternoon when the academy dismisses students.
But why did this vendor suddenly close up shop instead of selling things in the afternoon?
But then, the three dogs, nestled in her arms, turned their heads to look at her and flashed two rows of tiny white teeth.
Jiayin frowned, then gestured for Shuiling to come forward and whispered a few words of advice.
Shui Ling was a little confused, but she nodded in agreement anyway. Then, with a hint of excitement, she quietly turned a corner and disappeared in a few quick movements...
The joy of shopping for women lies not in buying, but in browsing.
The Li family, young and old, strolled around for most of the hour, and in the end, they only brought back a box of sticky rice cakes and a few pieces of kudzu cloth before heading home.
The sticky rice cake was, of course, meant to satisfy Jiayin's craving.
Because the cloth is breathable, Grandma Li plans to sew a few sets of vests and shorts for her grandchildren to wear to bed at night, so they can stay cool.
Although scholars should maintain a respectable appearance, it would be a real hardship to sleep in long-sleeved undershirts and trousers at night.
As long as her grandchildren are comfortable, whether they are dignified or not is not important to her.
As the sun began to set, Jiayi and Liu Yang unexpectedly arrived.
The two boys have been traveling north and south with the fleet for the past six months, and they've gotten a lot tanned. They've grown tall and strong, truly living up to their name as two little iron towers.
The two men had clearly come directly from the dock, carrying two baskets filled with ice, leaving a trail of water wherever they dragged them.
The basket contained several large yellow croakers, more than twenty swimming crabs, and a considerable number of large scallops and prawns.
Jiayi sat next to his grandmother, grinning and showing off his bright white teeth. "Grandma, these are all things we brought back from the south. They're not included in my uncle's goods! We bought them separately, especially to show our respect to you!"
Grandma Li was naturally happy that her grandson was so filial, but she still asked Liu Yang first, "Did you send some to your family as well?"
"I gave it to him!" Liu Yang replied with a grin. "My dad was so happy. He even said he'd invite the village chief and the others for drinks tonight."
Grandma Li was relieved and asked Ye Shan to help her get five baskets, each containing a large yellow croaker, two crabs, a handful of prawns, and seven or eight scallops.
This is a gift for Zhou Shanzhang, the Peng family, Mr. Tang, and the two blessed women who helped make the bed when Jia Huan got married.
Human relationships are something that grow stronger through frequent interactions and exchanges.
With so many children in the family studying at the academy, and having received a lot of care from others, sending some gifts at this time is a way to express our gratitude and let them know that the Li family appreciates their kindness.
When Zhou Shanchang, Peng Jiahe, and Mr. Tang arrived, Ye Shan accompanied Jiayi and Liu Yang. They were the younger generation and had been used to being out and about. Meeting these learned gentlemen would serve as a reminder to them and prevent them from becoming arrogant in their youth.
Moreover, Jia Yi is the second son of the Earl, and his status is sufficient to represent the family when making visits, so he will not be looked down upon by the other families.
As for the two ladies of good fortune, Granny He accompanied Wenjuan to thank them for their help in arranging the marriage and to help Wenjuan solidify her connections.
After all, Wenjuan lives in Luo'an, so it's good to have a place to go around on weekdays.
Most importantly, Mr. Peng has taken a new wife, and Wenjuan has a stepmother. In case the two have a minor conflict in the future, someone can pass on a message for Wenjuan, so that everyone in the academy doesn't just hear the new wife's side of the story...
It must be said that Grandma Li put a lot of thought into it and made as many thorough arrangements as possible.
Wenjuan is intelligent and understands her grandmother's protection and teachings, so she respects and is grateful to her grandmother even more!
Jiayi, however, was impatient with dealing with those "old scholars" and was slapped by Old Lady Li, who scolded him, "You're rarely home. If you don't go out and show your face, people won't even know that Uncle Li has a youngest son like you!"
Jiayi then took Liu Yang and went out.
Wenjuan and the others left afterward.
The house quieted down for a while, and Grandma Li took Shuiyun and Dongmei to prepare seafood, planning to cook more for dinner so that the children could all be together and have a good time.
Jiayin was thinking about Shuiling, so she brought three dogs to play at the gate of the courtyard, and took the opportunity to look around.
Shui Ling probably knew her master was anxious, so she returned quickly.
The little girl was covered in sweat and her face was flushed. She ran straight to the well and drank a ladle of cold water.
Finally, she leaned close to her mistress and whispered, "Miss, you told me to follow that peddler. After he packed up his stall, he ran off to a grove on the east side of town."
“That grove didn’t look like anyone lived there, so I waited a little longer. Sure enough, the vendor came out with a big smile less than fifteen minutes after he went in.”
"I wanted to follow him, but then another person came out of the woods. He was a little pageboy, about twelve or thirteen years old, with shifty eyes. I followed the pageboy to the academy gate and watched him go in. Then I went back to look for the merchant. I thought I couldn't find him anymore, since a while had passed."
"Unexpectedly, that merchant reappeared at the street corner with his luggage, and even hired a horse-drawn carriage to hurriedly leave the town."
Jiayin frowned, told Shuiling to watch over the three strips, and then she ran to her third aunt's room.
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