After dinner, Luo Chen and Luo Yang went to wash the dishes as usual, while Xiao Yunying sat at the long table, thinking about transplanting the vegetable seedlings in a couple of days.
Luo Xin played with the dog for a while, then came over and tugged at her clothes, saying:
"Mother, my older brother just said he has a day off tomorrow and wants you to take him to the city to buy some books. Also, we're almost out of paper."
The time for rest given to students in schools or academies here is called "xiu mu," which is generally ten days of study followed by one day of rest.
Xiao Yunying had bought a lot of Xuan paper beforehand, but the children were so eager to learn that they copied books and practiced calligraphy every day, so the Xuan paper was used up very quickly.
Well... it should be said that Luo Chen and Luo Yang are studious, while Luo Li is forced to be studious.
Xiao Yunying bent down and said, "Did your older brother tell you to tell me this?"
Is he embarrassed or what? I clearly said that he could just say what he needs.
Luo Chen wasn't as decisive as Luo Yang in this respect.
Luo Xin shook her head: "No, I heard it when my older brother and second brother were talking."
Xiao Yunying removed the small beaded flower from Luo Xin's hair and prepared to wash up: "Mother knows. When your older brother comes over in a little while, I'll give him some money to buy books."
Luo Xin blinked her big eyes and said, "But... Big Brother said he wants Mother to go with him..."
How did you know your older brother wanted me to go with him?
Luo Xin recalled the scene just now: "Because my second brother said that if I told my mother I wanted to buy books and paper, she would give me money directly. But my eldest brother said he didn't know if he could find a way to get my mother to go with him."
After finishing her sentence, the little girl turned her head to help her brother: "Mother, it's been a long time since Xin'er went to the city with you. Let's go together tomorrow."
"You want me to come with you?" Xiao Yunying asked, puzzled.
Could it be that the recent child abductions have frightened them?
"Okay, let's go into town together tomorrow."
She felt a little uneasy about the two missing children in the village. Although Dai Jincai usually picked them up and dropped them off, it wasn't as reassuring as having them with her own eyes.
Furthermore, in her eyes, Dai Jincai was just a sixteen-year-old minor. It was fine for the carriage to pick him up and drop him off at school, but she was still a little worried about taking the children shopping.
After Luo Chen and Luo Yang finished washing the dishes and came over, Luo Xin said happily, "Big brother, second brother, Mom said she'll take us to the city to buy things tomorrow."
Luo Chen's eyes lit up slightly. He was about to mention that he wanted to buy some Xuan paper and books, but he was still worried about how to get his mother to go with him.
Since he went to study in the city, he has spent much less time with his mother. After thinking about it for many days, he finally realized something.
He didn't want to admit it, but he had to admit it: he craved the care and warmth his mother gave him, so he wanted her to accompany him even on small things like buying books.
"Mother, I want to buy some books; we've run out of Xuan paper."
"Okay, I'll go with you to the bookstore tomorrow to buy it."
Luo Chen returned to the kitchen to boil water in a cheerful mood, completely unaware that it was his younger sister who spoke for him the words he couldn't say himself.
What's even more frustrating is that Xiao Yunying misunderstood, thinking that he was afraid of kidnappers and that's why he wanted her to accompany him to buy things.
Otherwise, he would have explained himself clearly, otherwise he wouldn't have been so timid.
The next morning, after Huiweilou took away the vegetables, Xiao Yunying and the children finished breakfast, went to the Dai family to tell them what they needed to do that day, and asked Dai Jincai to drive the carriage to take them into the city.
On the way, Luo Xin excitedly pulled Luo Li aside to discuss which food stall had the best food.
Because of the child who went missing in the village a couple of days ago, the little girl, like the adults, had been worried and quiet for two days. Today, she was in the mood, so Luo Li coaxed her to play.
Xiao Yunying teased her, "Xin'er, you've mentioned so much food, can your little tummy hold it all?"
Luo Xin looked down and patted her little belly: "If I can't fit that much, I can put in less. I can share one portion with my third brother, then I won't be too full."
Luo Li patted his stomach and said, "Little sister is right. If you can't finish it, your third brother will eat it. It won't be a waste."
Luo Yang suddenly said awkwardly, "None of the food vendors in the city can compare to the taste of my mother's cooking."
The carriage fell silent immediately.
"But...but..."
Luo Xin wanted to say that they couldn't compare them like that, since her mother's food was naturally the best, but she didn't know how to say it.
Luo Yang spoke, his tone relaxed and slightly teasing.
"Brother, these two cannot be compared. We came to the city to stroll around and have fun. We are looking for a pleasant atmosphere. As for food alone, no stall can compare to Mother's cooking skills."
Xiao Yunying pulled Luo Xin into her arms: "Alright, stop praising me indirectly. It's rare for you two to come to the city together after you start studying, Luo Chen, don't be so serious."
Luo Chen pursed his lips: "I understand."
He didn't mean to upset his younger siblings, but for some reason he suddenly blurted out what was on his mind.
Dai Jincai drove the carriage into the city. Xiao Yunying asked him to stop the carriage at Huiweilou, and she took the child and strolled around the city on foot.
They went to the market first, and along the way, they saw stalls on both sides of the road where people from nearby villages had dug up wild vegetables to sell. She squatted down and asked them questions, taking the opportunity to learn how to identify wild vegetables.
The stall owner, an older woman, patiently introduced each item: "This is bitter lettuce, it has a slightly bitter taste; this is wild leek; this is wild garlic; and there's shepherd's purse..."
Among the row of wild vegetables, Xiao Yunying only recognized the last two. She quickly answered, "I know this one, it's toon sprouts, right?"
The old woman selling wild vegetables smiled at the woman in front of her, who had several children but still looked like a young girl. Seeing the woman's bright eyes, as if seeking praise, she said in a commendatory tone:
"The girl is right, this is a Chinese toon sprout."
Xiao Yunying finally picked out some toon sprouts and shepherd's purse and left.
She squatted there and asked for a while, and the old lady patiently explained things to her. She felt embarrassed to leave without buying anything.
She said that toon sprouts can be stir-fried with eggs and shepherd's purse can be used to make dumplings; she had tried them and they tasted very good.
Luo Chen really wanted to say that these wild vegetables could be picked on the mountain without spending any money.
Luo Yang tugged at his sleeve in time, stopping him from speaking.
Luo Chen glanced at the old woman tidying up the wild vegetables and Xiao Yunying, who seemed to be in a good mood, and ultimately held back from saying anything.
After eating and strolling along the way, Xiao Yunying's basket was almost full after walking through the entire market.
After the children finished eating the fried tofu by the roadside, Xiao Yunying led them back. Just as they exited the market, they saw a familiar figure.
Xiao Yunying called out softly, "Yuan Cheng, Ling Qi, what a coincidence."
Luo Chen's expression instantly tensed up, his previous ease and leisure gone.
How did I run into this Mr. Chen again?
My mother went to the city ten times, and whether she did it intentionally or unintentionally, she saw this person at least seven or eight times. It was too much of a coincidence.
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