The little beggar was talking excitedly, but when Han Luoxue saw the woman's expression, she gave up the idea of getting her a steamed bun.
"Little Stone, could you bring me a bowl?"
Han Luoxue asked softly.
Although the little stone was puzzled, it still ran out and brought back a broken bowl from the outer room.
Han Luoxue took it, took out a bamboo tube from her pocket, opened the lid, and poured out a bowl of water, half of which was spiritual spring water.
"Sister, this water is from my hometown. It's from a sacred spring. People in our village get better after drinking some of this water when they have minor illnesses or ailments. Why don't you try it?"
Han Luoxue brought the bowl to the eldest sister on the kang (a heated brick bed). The woman looked up at her and smiled, "My illness can't be cured."
"Sister, you can't say that. Even if it's not for your own sake, you have to think about your son."
The eldest sister shifted her gaze from Han Luoxue to Xiao Shitou, took a deep breath, and sighed, "If I weren't worried about him, I would have..."
"Mother, drink up! What this lady says must be true."
Little Stone ran over, grabbed the woman's hand, and almost burst into tears.
The woman shook her head, but still picked up the glass and drank it down: "Thank you, madam."
Before drinking the water, she didn't forget to thank them.
The water was sweet, a sweetness she had never tasted before.
The woman gulped it down, and afterwards felt much better than before.
"Little Stone, can you cook at your house?"
"Yes, we have a stove."
Little Stone's eyes lit up at the mention of cooking. He led Han Luoxue out, and Han Yuchen followed.
His stove was very small. Han Luoxue nodded, and Xiao Shitou deftly started a fire.
Poor children learn to be independent early, and although Little Stone was only four or five years old, he was extremely skilled at starting a fire. Han Luoxue took out some easily digestible millet; the golden-orange millet looked particularly appealing.
She also took out two pounds of meat, stewed it directly, added some potatoes, and stewed a whole pot.
"Madam, there's meat!"
Little Stone's eyes lit up when he saw the meat.
"You can eat whatever you want in a little while."
Han Luoxue said with a grin. Little Stone nodded repeatedly, swallowing hard a few times.
Cooking is simple and quick. The rich aroma of the food soon wafted from the small plate.
The other families in the courtyard also peeked out.
The woman who had just spoken rushed over: "Little Stone, where did you get your food?"
"It was given to me by this lady."
Little Stone said proudly, puffing out his little chest.
The lady's gaze toward Han Luoxue became more ardent: "Madam, what's so great about Little Stone's house? It's dark and damp. Why don't you come to my house? Our house is the main north-facing room, and it's very bright."
"And we also have new bedding at home."
Seeing the snow falling in the cold, the lady noticed that their clothes were all new and clean, and added, "Little Stone's family only has that one quilt, and his mother is sickly; the disease might even be contagious."
"Aunt Wu, I just caught a cold and have a cough, it's not contagious." Little Stone's mother was worried about what was happening outside, and when she came out, she heard this and immediately became unhappy.
In a normal year, if the family had some money, they could have bought some medicine and been fine long ago.
She just caught a cold, and it just dragged on for too long.
"It's supposed to be a cough from a cold, but it's been going on for way too long. Little Stone's mother, I don't think this is a good illness. It might be some kind of dirty disease."
"How could you say that?"
Little Stone's mother's eyes turned red with anger. She pointed angrily at Aunt Wu and shouted, "You're the one with the dirty disease!"
"Mom, is your cough better? You weren't coughing just now."
In the past, Little Stone's mother would cough whenever she spoke. But just now, after getting off the kang (a heated brick bed), she spoke so much without coughing once.
Little Stone looked overjoyed, while the woman looked incredulous: "I, I just now..."
She was so excited she didn't know what to say.
"Mother, it must be that this lady's magic water really works."
Little Stone looked at Han Luoxue with gratitude. His mother did the same: "Madam, thank you for the magic water you gave me. I'm very grateful, but what she just said is true, her house is indeed better than mine, you see..."
He's a genuine person. Han Luoxue felt even more fond of the mother and son.
"I'm only staying here for one night, it's fine. It's good that you're up, hurry up and help bring the food inside, it's all ready."
“Your son is quite capable; he was the one tending the fire just now.”
Han Luoxue said with admiration, and Xiao Shitou proudly raised his head: "I'm a big kid now, I can take good care of my mom."
Little Stone's mother's eyes welled up with tears: "I've been so lucky to have this boy during my illness."
“What’s so great about their place, madam? Why don’t you come to my house for a meal?”
Aunt Wu still wouldn't give up, but Han Luoxue smiled and said, "Never mind, I like Little Stone's family."
The group carried the food back to the dark south room.
The aroma of the food, especially the meat, almost made Aunt Wu grind her teeth to pieces.
How come this little rascal is so lucky? He went out and actually got someone who brought him food.
Those two are blind. Can't they see that their own family's conditions are far better than Little Stone's?
How annoying, just like Little Stone's mother.
Aunt Wu said fiercely. The fragrance wafted further and further away before her gaze reluctantly shifted from the room. At that moment, she saw the little red horse in front of the door.
Its fur was shiny, and it was plump and strong, looking like it was all flesh.
Aunt Wu swallowed hard, turned around, and ran home in small steps.
This horse is really well-cared for. It's no wonder that people have enough grain; even their livestock are plump and healthy.
At this time, the room in Xiao Shitou's house was rather dimly lit, so Xiao Shitou's mother specially lit an oil lamp.
Thick millet porridge and fragrant stewed potatoes with meat—these were dishes their family hadn't eaten in a long time.
"Eat quickly!"
Han Luoxue took out several large white steamed buns. The buns were soft, as if they had just been steamed not long ago.
"Mom, these steamed buns are so delicious! I've already eaten one."
Even though he had already eaten it once, Little Stone still couldn't help but swallow his saliva when he saw it again.
"Then have another one."
Before Little Stone's mother could speak, Han Luoxue picked up two and handed them to them.
"Madam, isn't this inappropriate?"
"We're going to stay at your place anyway, what's wrong with that?"
Han Luoxue smiled, while Xiao Shitou's mother looked troubled: "But you've seen our family's situation. It's not good for you to stay here."
"There's nothing to feel wronged about. My family is also from the countryside, and our conditions weren't as good as yours back then!"
Han Luoxue smiled indifferently and served each of them a bowl of millet porridge and a bowl of stewed potatoes and meat.
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