Chapter 38 Releasing Water Lanterns: The Closer to Hometown, the More Timid One Becomes
Tonight, the Zhou Bridge is packed with people. Pedestrians are constantly crossing the bridge, and painted boats are flowing endlessly below. Water lanterns are also appearing one after another along the Bian River...
"Sister! Look over here!" Lu Xuan stood in the crowd, smiling and waving at her. In her other hand, she held a lantern, a common jade rabbit lantern. A red mole was dotted on her forehead with cinnabar, which was translucent and made her dark blue dress even brighter.
The pedestrians on the street were all going to release water lanterns, and Lu Qiong was going in the same direction as them, so she was able to follow the flow of people.
Upon arrival, they learned that Wei Pan had not yet returned, and Jin Niang was also watching the water lanterns on the Bian River with Shuang Jie'er. However, most of them were paper "lotus flowers" with bamboo bases, which was not unusual.
It seemed that Shuangjie was having a fight with Jinniang. She pouted and turned her head to the side, refusing to look at anyone else.
"What's wrong?" Lu Qiong asked Jin Niang quietly.
Jinniang kept shaking her head, and even winked at her, signaling her not to ask any more questions.
The Bian River was brightly lit, but the crowds and noise made Lu Qiong fail to grasp her intentions. She even raised her voice, "Why does Sister Shuang look so miserable?"
Upon hearing this, Shuangjie turned her head away, pouting, looking very aggrieved. Tears welled up in her eyes, as if they were about to fall, which pained Lu Qiong.
Seeing this, Jinniang closed her eyes in despair. Her daughter had completely disgraced her, so she had no choice but to tell the whole story.
Lu Qiong couldn't help but laugh when she heard this. It turned out that she wanted to release a water lantern. But when she passed by other stalls earlier, Shuang Jie'er couldn't resist buying a flower lantern, which was the one Lu Xuan was holding. Now that she was here, she regretted it and wanted to exchange it for a water lantern.
Jinniang said irritably, "How can you coax a child like that? We're not some rich family. Do you expect me to pluck the moon from the sky if he wants it in the future?"
Lu Qiong disapproved of her actions: "What's the big deal? If she wants it, just buy it for her. It's not worth much money."
After saying that, he patted Shuangjie'er on the shoulder and leaned over to whisper, "Don't listen to your mother, we'll go buy one later."
Upon hearing this, Shuangjie'er's face was already beaming with a smile, and the two of them put their heads close together, like two kittens secretly plotting something.
Water lanterns are made of paper and lit with candles; they can be bought for less than ten coins each. In fact, flower lanterns are more expensive, costing twenty coins each.
Because of the festival, Lu Qiong was so happy that he bought a cup for everyone, spending a total of forty coins.
Seeing that she wouldn't listen, Jinniang had no choice but to go with her.
But this water lantern can also write. She can't write many words yet, but her two sisters can write quite well.
Thinking alone cannot produce anything, so I doodled on the paper to express my thoughts and feelings.
Needless to say, Sister Shuang was already all smiles, and even though she was all smeared on the paper, everyone found it amusing.
It seems that only Lu Qiong thinks this can be considered an abstract painting?
After writing their words, they went down the steps by the bridge and placed the water lanterns on the Bian River one by one. The shimmering light reflected in everyone's hearts.
...
The shop had hired people in advance to help manage it, and since Sister Yang was also capable of handling things on her own, Lu Qiong planned to go back and stay for three to five days, just in time for the autumn harvest, which was also the busy season for farming.
They were bringing a lot of things this time. First, there was an endless supply of food: wine from Dai Lou, rice from Hong Lou, various candied fruits and preserved fish, mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival, and some indispensable seasonings...
The original room still had bedding, but it hadn't been used for almost half a year and must have developed a smell. It would be better to take it back from here, since the bedding isn't thick in the summer anyway.
After packing a few more changes of clothes, the two of them excitedly went out!
This time, we even hired a horse-drawn carriage to carry people back, which cost 100 coins, but it was worth it, at least we had a curtain to block out the sun.
The carriage was already waiting at the alley entrance. Lu Qiong boarded the carriage carrying a large bundle, her forehead covered in sweat.
After resting for a few moments, she grabbed the handlebars, stepped onto the bike, and didn't forget to turn around and pull Lu Xuan up as well.
The driver was from the next village. As they traveled, they chatted idly. When they talked about the autumn harvest, he said that the village's harvest this year wasn't very good, and fewer people were planting millet. Some had switched to planting tea trees, saying that they could make a lot of money...
Outside the city gate, I came across a field dedicated to tea cultivation. The tea leaves, picked just before the Mid-Autumn Festival, had a mild flavor and a flat aroma. They were neither as sweet as spring tea nor as astringent as summer tea.
After passing the tea plantation, you can see vast fields, with heavy ears of millet bending under their weight, the ground covered in gold, and the air filled with the aroma of millet.
As they approached, Lu Qiong felt a little nervous and unconsciously clenched the bundle in her hands.
It wasn't until the car stopped, her feet touched the ground, and she looked at the familiar surroundings that she truly felt something.
The autumn harvest has also begun in Shangyuan Village. In addition to the golden rice, many people are also planting sweet potatoes in the fields.
After the grain harvest is completed in the next few days, the fields will need to be cleared, and the remaining straw and weeds will be removed before the new wheat can be sown.
"This is... Miss Lu?" Zhou Erniang had just come out of the field, her head wrapped in a floral cloth, her clothes still covered with grains of rice, her hands tanned dark by the sun, and her face flushed, probably from working in the field from morning till night.
Although Shangyuan Village is not small, not many families live there. How many people are in each family, or what has happened to someone in a family, is known as soon as you step out the door, especially if it is known by someone as gossipy as Zhou Erniang...
Zhou Erniang knew that Lu Qiong had gone to Bianjing, and now she was very curious about him, asking everyone she met: "How's your business in Bianjing? Are you making money setting up a stall? Is your house in the city big? Is it as big as this piece of land?"
Lu Qiong was a little uncomfortable with her enthusiasm, and smiled as she pulled her hand away: "Second Aunt, I just got back, and I haven't put the things away yet. I'll tell you next time."
Only then did Zhou Erniang notice Lu Xuan beside her, who was also carrying large bags and covered in sweat. Realizing that she had been abrupt, she quickly smiled and made way for her, saying, "Then you go ahead with your work, no rush."
Lu Qiong was carrying a wooden food box filled with mooncakes. As soon as the lid was lifted, the aroma wafted far and wide, and could probably be smelled even in the fields.
"Second Aunt, this is some food I made. I didn't bring much, so please take one back and try it."
The mooncakes were still glistening with oil. People who had just finished working in the fields were exhausted and hungry, so how could they resist the temptation?
Besides, Zhou Erniang is usually very stingy and doesn't put oil in her food. She has no oil in her stomach, but she ate an extra bowl of thin porridge today because she was working in the fields.
She swallowed hard, staring intently at the mooncakes in the food box: "How can this be..."
As she spoke, her hand reached for the food box. Fortunately, the second aunt was not one to take advantage of others, and no matter what she wanted, she only took one.
Holding a mooncake in her hand, Zhou Erniang chatted with them for a few moments. After they left, she stared at their retreating figures and murmured wistfully, "Is it really that easy to make money in Bianjing?"
When Lu Qiong returned, she saw that the weeds in the yard had grown tall, there were some spider webs on the roof, and dust on the table, but nothing else was wrong.
After putting down their luggage, they started fetching water and cleaning the house inside and out, then ventilating it until the musty smell dissipated before daring to sit down and rest.
"It's still most comfortable to live at home!"
Lu Xuan, however, lay face down on the table, her face scrunched up.
I went to bed late last night, and was woken up early this morning to pack things. I only ate some flatbread I bought on the street for breakfast, and now I'm starving.
Lu Qiong was also hungry, so she poked her arm with her finger: "There's nothing to cook at home, why don't we go ask Yu Niang to see if we can get something in return?"
In previous years, during the autumn harvest, Yu Niang's yard would always be filled with drying millet, and the house would also have some newly harvested sweet potatoes, filling the whole house with the smell of a bountiful harvest.
Thinking of the sweet and soft sweet potatoes, Lu Xuan's stomach growled. The two exchanged glances and packed up to leave, not forgetting to take the mooncakes with them.
The millet must be cut off one by one, then dried, and then hulled. The remaining straw and chaff can be used as feed for livestock.
Yu Niang's family had already finished harvesting the millet and was spreading it out in the courtyard. The golden millet grains were round and plump, emitting a unique aroma.
Barefoot, she raked the rice with her back to the courtyard gate, her feet on the scorching ground. Sensing someone approaching from behind, she mistook it for Li Jie'er. "Where has she been all day? Not helping with the harvest. She won't be coming home next time..."
She's still the same Yu Niang; she speaks harshly, but her heart always softens.
A paper tiger.
This image suddenly appeared before her eyes, and Lu Qiong couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Who made Yu Niang angry? I'll teach him a lesson for you."
That sound?
Yu Niang kept the rake in her hand on the ground, turned around, and saw Lu Qiong and Lu Xuan. Her eyes showed surprise for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure and continued to rake the millet.
"Why did you decide to come back? There's no grain for you to harvest, or have you given up your business in the city?"
Lu Qiong was used to her attitude. She put her hands behind her back and walked around the yard with a smile: "Business is good. We've hired someone to watch over it now."
So what was the point of all this trouble on your way back?
Since nothing went wrong, Yu Niang didn't ask any more questions.
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