Chapter 40 Time to go back to the private school. I'll make it up to you at noon.
The pumpkins Liang Erxiang planted are growing well.
She sent three over yesterday.
One is over a foot long, and one is just the right amount to eat in one meal.
Jiang Ji picked up the cleaver, peeled the pumpkin, and scooped out the pulp.
Collect the pumpkin seeds so that Ye Li can make them into melon seeds.
He cut the pumpkin into chunks and put them in the pot, then rinsed some rice, preparing to make rice and pumpkin porridge.
Start a fire, and put two pieces of wood into the stove to burn slowly.
He pulled a small basket from under the chopping board, which contained a pile of potatoes about the size of Jiang Ya's fist.
These are potatoes grown by the Ye family. They were planted at the beginning of spring and are now ready to eat, although they are not very big.
Yesterday, Ye Liang brought over half a basket.
He washed a few, peeled them, and slowly shredded them.
His knife skills were mediocre, and the oil lamp was dim, so he dared not be fast.
After cutting the potatoes, put them into a ceramic bowl, add half a bowl of flour and two eggs, mix well with chopsticks, and add salt and five-spice powder—the five-spice powder was homemade by Ye Li herself after buying spices.
Then he brought out the stove and a small iron pot, preparing to fry a potato pancake.
This way of eating is quite luxurious.
It uses both wheat flour and eggs, and more importantly, it uses a lot of oil!
If there's not enough oil, the pancake will burn.
But now we fry things at home every day, so we never lack oil.
Everyone is exhausted from the past two days and needs to eat something oily to replenish themselves.
He placed the stove at the entrance of the kitchen and began to bake pancakes, albeit somewhat awkwardly.
By the time the potato shreds in the earthenware pot were finished being fried, the sky was beginning to lighten.
It was almost dawn.
The rice and pumpkin porridge in the big iron pot is also ready.
He washed his hands, went into the main room, and first turned right to take a look at the east room.
The two little ones are still asleep.
He then went to the west room.
There were no lights on in the room, but he opened the window after getting up, so you could barely see people's shadows.
Ye Li was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed) in a starfish position. When she saw him come in, she turned over and faced him directly.
A smile flickered in his eyes: "Awake?"
"You're awake? Get up now," Ye Li said.
He woke up when Jiang Liu arrived, and Jiang Ji told him to go back to sleep, so he comfortably continued sleeping.
Having slept well, all the fatigue from the previous two days had vanished. At this moment, he was refreshed and full of energy, enough to punch ten cows away!
“Xiaomai and Yage’er haven’t gotten up yet, you can lie down for a while longer.” Jiang Ji sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).
"I'm not lying down anymore. I'll get up and knead some dough, then soak some sweet potato noodles. We'll make tofu and noodle buns for lunch. Take a few with you when you go back to the private school."
Ye Li sat up as she spoke.
Jiang Ji quickly reached out and pressed his hands on his shoulders: "No need to trouble yourself. You, Xiaomai, and Ya Ge'er have all been exhausted these past two days. Take a rest today. I'll just take a few salted duck eggs with me when we leave."
"Besides, you also need to give me pocket money. The food is very good."
"How do you calculate this?"
The daily meals for college entrance exam takers consist of vegetable dumplings and thin porridge, with an egg added to each meal to supplement their nutrition!
He was genuinely worried that his good husband's mental capacity wouldn't be able to keep up.
After thinking for a moment, he said, "How about this, since you're not going to help at your second uncle's house today, let's go to the county town?"
"Going to the county town? What for?" Jiang Ji asked curiously.
"I'll buy you something to help you recover, like fish or walnuts."
"Fish, stew into soup at noon. Grind walnuts into powder, and when you eat, scoop a few spoonfuls into the porridge in the kitchen, so that you can nourish your brain with every meal."
The more Ye Li thought about it, the more feasible the idea seemed. She grabbed Jiang Ji's wrist and said, "Go to Da Tong's house and ask if he uses an ox this morning. If he doesn't, we can borrow it, hitch it to a cart, and go to the county town."
Some time ago, Jiang Dachuan bought a draft ox.
It's wheat harvest season now, and the role of oxen in plowing is self-evident.
But he and Jiang Ji only needed it for a morning. If Jiang Dachuan wasn't in a hurry to harvest the wheat, then he and Jiang Ji could still borrow it for a while.
There was no other way; time was tight. Although Yezaopo was close to the county town, the county town was just too big.
To buy everything, you'll have to go to several places.
Seeing that Ye Li was interested, and considering that the two of them had never gone out alone before, Jiang Ji agreed.
While Ye Li was washing up, he quickly went to Jiang Dachuan's house.
Just as Ye Li thought, the Jiang family did need to use oxen, but if they only needed to borrow them for a morning, that was fine. They could harvest the wheat in the morning and then use the oxen to haul the wheat home in the afternoon.
When Jiang Ji returned with the oxen, Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya had also gotten up.
The two little ones knew that their older brother and brother-in-law were going to the city after breakfast, and their faces showed undisguised longing and envy.
They both wanted to go to the city...
But there's so much chores to do around the house!
If the two of them don't go out to cut pig feed, the two piglets will go hungry.
The two of them didn't say anything, washed their hands, and filtered the bean dregs as usual.
After filtering, Ye Li immediately paid them both: one coin each.
Jiang Ya clutched the copper coin in his wet little hand, blinked his big eyes twice, and then held up his little hand to Ye Li: "Brother Li, I'll give you money, can you buy sugar figurines for me and my second brother?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Li immediately smiled and said, "No problem."
When he made soy milk rice mochi last time, he knew that Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya wanted to save their wages for Jiang Ji's travel expenses, so he told them that he would support Jiang Ji's studies from now on.
The two little ones earned their wages through their own hard work, and they spent them however they pleased.
However, the two little ones were always busy, and even when the peddler came by, they weren't home.
Therefore, they had no opportunity to spend money at all.
Now that Jiang Ya is asking for money for the first time, Ye Li is quite happy.
He held out his hand to Jiang Ya: "Give me this copper coin, and I'll buy you both sugar figurines."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Mai immediately said, "A sugar figurine costs several coins. I'll go back to the house to get the money."
Previously, when he first received his wages, he was worried that Ye Li would rummage through the east room and steal the wages back, so he buried his and Jiang Ya's wages in the place where they often went to collect firewood.
After burying it for more than ten days, seeing that Ye Lizhen had changed his ways, he dug the money back and put it in the east room.
"Oh, no need. This is the first time you and Ya-ge have asked me to bring something, so I'll give you a big discount! I'll only charge you one coin!"
Ye Li called out to him, smiling.
Jiang Ji, who was standing in front of the stove and ladling porridge from the pot, also said, "Xiaomai, listen to your brother Li."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Mai scratched his head: "Really one penny?"
"Of course, you two are such good children, how can I not buy you some sugar figurines? It's a pity that they don't sell candied hawthorns right now, otherwise I would have arranged some for you two too."
Ye Lidao.
Hawthorns ripen in autumn.
There are no candied hawthorns for sale in the county town right now.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Mai scratched her head with her little hands.
I felt a little uneasy.
Although Brother Li has been treating him and Brother Ya very well lately, not only paying them wages but also washing their hair and clothes!
When I go to the county town, I also bring them things.
Ya Ge'er even often snuggles up to Li Ge's arms!
But he and Ya Ge never asked Li Ge for anything.
They've always been very perceptive and self-aware!
This was true in front of my second uncle and aunt, and it was also true in front of Brother Li.
But now, like other children, he and Ya Ge'er make demands for this and that when their parents go to the city, and Li Ge just smiles and agrees.
Like an ordinary family...
He felt something was off.
But I felt mostly excited and happy.
Two emotions swirled in his mind, leaving him unsure of what expression to make. So, he subconsciously moved to Jiang Ji's side, using Jiang Ji's tall frame to shield him.
Where Ye Li couldn't see—or thought he couldn't see—the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.
Ye Li couldn't understand Jiang Mai's little scheme.
However, he knew that the little guy had always been awkward.
But at this moment, the little guy was clearly happy, so Ye Li was relieved and said, "Is there anything else you two want? We're going to take an oxcart into town today, and there are many places we can go."
“No more.” Jiang Ya shook her little head.
“You two don’t need to spend any money, I’ll buy it for you both,” Ye Li added.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ya's big eyes darted around, and his little head turned as well, but after turning around once, he still shook his head: "Thank you, Brother Li, no more."
He has a toy—a big windmill.
Li Ge also makes some snacks from time to time.
He didn't have anything he wanted to buy.
Jiang Mai also said, "Thank you, Brother Li, I don't have any either."
Seeing this, Ye Li had no choice but to say, "Alright then."
The two little ones are so well-behaved.
I feel sorry for you.
Jiang Ji's breakfast was quite delicious. He was worried that the potato pancakes would be too salty, so he deliberately used less salt, but when eaten with pickled vegetable shreds, the saltiness was just right.
The thick rice and pumpkin porridge was also quite delicious. The soft and sticky rice and the sweet pumpkin blended together, and Ye Li couldn't help but drink two bowls.
After breakfast, Jiang Ji went to Jiang Dahe's house to bring over a cart, hitched it to an oxcart, and headed to the county town with Ye Li, wearing straw hats, in the gentle morning breeze.
After entering the city, the two went to the market to buy fish.
Beiyang County is close to the Nantong Canal, so there has never been a shortage of fish, and fish meat is not expensive.
After buying three grass carp, the two went to a dried fruit shop.
Walnuts are ridiculously expensive, costing over twenty yuan per pound, more expensive than pork fat.
But Ye Li bought five jin in one go.
If you remove the skin from these walnuts, their weight will be halved.
He bought two more pounds of black sesame seeds.
He still had some rice at home, but not much, so he went to the grain store and bought another ten kilograms of rice.
Of course, the two little ones also made sugar figurines.
But since sugar figurines are blown by sugar makers, Ye Li didn't think they were very hygienic. So he only bought two little rabbit-shaped sugar figurines and planned to tell his two little ones that they could only play with them and not eat them.
To make up for the two little ones, he bought some more sugar and prepared to make some snacks himself.
Moreover, he has a new idea!
Standing at the entrance of the sugar shop, Jiang Ji looked at the contents of the oxcart and couldn't help but rub his chest.
Ye Li spent several hundred coins in just one morning on her shopping spree.
All these things were for him, for his brothers.
Ye Li has nothing that truly belongs to her...
Now, the sun is high in the sky, and it's noticeably hotter than when I went out.
He said, "Why don't we go back?"
Ye Li had already bought most of the things. After thinking for a moment, she nodded and said, "Okay, let's go back."
Jiang Ji gripped the reins in his hand, turning the oxcart around as he said, "Let's go to the cloth shop."
"What are you going to the fabric shop for?" Ye Li asked as he tidied up his things while sitting on the oxcart.
"I'll get you some cloth. I just asked my second uncle for five hundred coins, which can buy you a few feet of cotton cloth so you can make a new dress."
Jiang Ji explained.
"...Give me some cloth?"
Ye Li looked up, quite surprised.
Jiang Ji had already turned around and, upon hearing this, stood by the handlebars and asked, "You don't like it?"
"dislike!"
Ye Lida's resolute determination.
He's not a real young man; he doesn't care about clothes or dressing up!
Furthermore, the original owner's needlework skills were mediocre, and since he inherited the original owner's memories, they became even more mediocre.
He simply didn't have the patience to make clothes.
As long as you have something to wear, that's fine.
He tugged at Jiang Ji's sleeve and said with a smile, "I don't want to do needlework, so I won't buy it for now."
"..."
Jiang Ji had indeed never seen Ye Li touch the needle.
But Ye Li did so much for him, for Xiaomai, and for Ya Ge'er!
He really didn't know how to treat Ye Li better.
Thinking that today was the first time the two of them went shopping, he was planning to buy something for Ye Li when he went to Jiang Dahe's house to pick up the cart.
He didn't have much money, but remembering how Ye Li used to love dressing up, he thought about buying a few feet of cotton cloth so that Ye Li could make new clothes.
But Ye Li doesn't want to do needlework now...
He said, "How about I buy you some nice hair ties?"
"No, no, I'm going home!" Ye Li shook her head again: "The walnuts, black sesame seeds, and rice need to be roasted before they can be ground into powder. There's a lot to do. I'll buy the hair ties later."
"At that time, I'll choose, and you'll pay."
Hearing Ye Li's words made Jiang Ji feel a little better.
Before he could speak, Ye Li added, "You're not allowed to secretly do odd jobs to earn money. Once you pass the imperial examination, you'll immediately have both status and money."
"As for now."
Ye Li beckoned to him with her finger: "Come here."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ji leaned down, and the brims of their hats touched. He asked, "What's wrong?"
Ye Li looked at his handsome face so close to hers and said with a smile, "My dear husband, I know your heart. There's no need for all this. Just repay me with your body tonight."
Jiang Ji: "..."
He instinctively turned his head to look around, as if he were doing something wrong.
Fortunately, they were the only two people at the entrance of the candy shop at that moment.
But he still felt a bit hot all over.
Her face was also a little red.
In public!
This incredibly audacious husband!
He took a deep breath, left the four words at noon, and then straightened up.
Last night, when he got home after helping Jiang Dahe haul wheat, both little ones were asleep.
It was too late, so the two of them did nothing.
But now that Ye Li has made it clear, before going to the private school today, I must repay Ye Li once.
Upon receiving these four words, Ye Li couldn't help but chuckle: "Then hurry back."
Jiang Ji didn't delay any longer and led the oxcart out of the city.
When I got home, the two little ones were already back.
However, since the two piglets ate a lot, the two of them had to go out to cut more pig feed. Ye Li then handed them two sugar figurines, which made them thank her profusely.
Ye Li told them not to eat it, and the two reluctantly put the sugar figurine back in the east room, then picked up their baskets and went out.
Ye Li then asked Jiang Ji to peel the walnuts. He rinsed the rice and black sesame seeds, too lazy to dry them, and directly put them into the pot to stir-fry.
Stir-fry these ingredients until cooked, then have Jiang Ji grind them into powder at the mill. He then takes three fish to the well, kills them, and prepares to make fish soup.
Busy as we were, by the time the two little ones returned, the fish soup was already cooked.
So we started eating.
The Ye family's wheat harvest was not yet finished, and Ye Liang arrived in the afternoon. After lunch, the two little ones went back to their room for a nap.
Jiang Ji locked the courtyard gate from the inside, then carried Ye Li's special stool in one hand and pulled Ye Li back into the house with the other.
Ye Li laughed so hard she could barely stand up straight: "Aren't you afraid someone will come over?"
“If someone comes over, just pretend you’re not home,” Jiang Ji said, locking the bolt on the west door as well.
Ye Li clicked his tongue twice, but when he saw Jiang Ji turn around, he stretched out his arms and wrapped them around Jiang Ji's waist.
His dear husband should go back to his studies.
Reluctant to part with it.
Looking at Jiang Ji's thin lips, he stood on tiptoe and kissed them.
Jiang Ji bent down slightly, responding to him while untying his belt.
When his pants fell to the ground, Jiang Ji picked him up and put him on the kang (a heated brick bed).
Doing this in broad daylight for the first time was visually more stimulating than doing it at night.
In addition, since they both have each other's aesthetic preferences and see each other through a filter, they became quite excited.
After sitting on the kang (heated brick bed) for a while, Jiang Ji carried Ye Li to a stool.
Ye Li lay sprawled on the bench. It was broad daylight, the sun at its brightest in summer, and everything was crystal clear under her gaze.
The scene that Jiang Ji had imagined before has come true.
He was even more excited than at night.
The consequence of their excitement was that when Ye Liang arrived, the tofu puffs weren't finished frying yet.
Moreover, Jiang Ji was sitting in front of the stove, using long chopsticks to stir the tofu puffs in the pot.
Ye Li was nowhere to be seen.
Ye Liang asked, somewhat puzzled, "Where's Li Ge'er?"
"He's been a bit tired these past few days, so I told him to get some rest," Jiang Ji explained calmly, sitting steadily on the high stool.
Ye Liang nodded and said, "Of course, of course."
He was quite pleased.
Lige'er married a good man!
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