Carpenter Zhao was so happy after hearing this long list of furniture that he didn't expect that this person, who looked insignificant, was actually a big customer. So he asked, "Are you in a hurry to order these furniture? When do you need to pick them up?"
An Dashan thought for a moment and said, "Can it be done in twenty days?"
Carpenter Zhao thought that even if he called back the two apprentices who had gone home to harvest crops, they would not be able to finish the work, so he said with some embarrassment: "Other things are fine, but the carvings on this bed are too complicated, and I'm afraid we don't have enough time."
An Dashan thought that he and his wife didn't need such fancy designs, and his son, a grown man, didn't need them either. Even if he got married, it wouldn't be too late to do it. But he couldn't be careless with his daughter, so he said, "Then carve a complicated one on one, and the other two can be simpler."
Upon hearing this, Carpenter Zhao said, "Okay, that's no problem. The customer can just come and pick up the goods in twenty days."
An Dashan paid the deposit and took An Ning and Xiao Shitou to the market. Xiao Shitou found everything new and interesting. Looking at the candy stall, his big eyes were full of desire. However, children from poor families would not ask for what they wanted. An Ning felt sorry for Xiao Shitou, who was so sensible. Thinking that she still had some change from An Dashan, she bought a bag of maltose for Xiao Shitou. After paying, she opened the paper bag, pinched a piece with her hand and put it into Xiao Shitou's mouth. Xiao Shitou felt the sweetness in his mouth and smiled with satisfaction, his eyes narrowed.
The three of them walked around the market, bought some things and returned to Huaishu Village.
Time passed quickly, and it was August 14th. Gao wanted her mother to celebrate the festival here, but Wang didn't want to. Gao had no choice but to ask An Dashan to drive a mule cart to take Wang and Xiao Shitou back. Gao also brought the meat and cakes that An Dashan bought the day before to Wang, and Wang couldn't refuse, so she accepted it with a smile.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a day for family reunions, so Master Mo did not bring anyone to work that day, and Gao and An Ning also had a rare day of leisure.
They had a simple lunch at noon, and in the afternoon, An Ning and Gao started to prepare more dishes. Since An Ning had not gone to "pick up" eggs on time in the past two days, Gao found that the chickens at home had stopped laying eggs, so she asked An Dashan to pick out the fattest hen and kill it. Then, An Ning took charge of the cooking and stewed a pot of chicken and mushrooms. An Ning thought that there were not enough meat dishes, so she made a braised pork with pork belly. Gao made a dish of stir-fried cabbage and a dish of stir-fried leek and eggs.
These eggs were taken out by An Ning from the space. Two days ago, he and An Dashan went to the town to buy things. Thinking that the eggs in the space were almost piled up, he sent An Dashan away, took out two baskets, and then lied that he bought them. Fortunately, the space has a preservation function, so there is no need to worry about the eggs going bad, otherwise so many eggs would be wasted. An Ning took one basket back to his grandmother and kept the other basket for his family to eat.
Since Gao didn't know how to make mooncakes, the staple food was a pot of steamed white and plump white flour buns. After the meal was served, Gao felt a little depressed. She sighed and said, "I don't know how Dayong is doing at the border, and whether he can eat well."
An Ning, who had almost forgotten that there was such a person in the family, quickly advised: "Mom, don't worry, with my eldest brother's intelligence, he will definitely be able to thrive in the military camp, and he may even become an official."
Gao was not as optimistic as An Ning and said, "I don't ask your elder brother to become an official, I just hope he is safe and sound."
When An Dashan came back from getting some wine, he saw Gao sighing, so he asked, "What happened? Wasn't she fine just now?"
An Ning said: "My mother is missing my elder brother."
An Dashan was also a little depressed after hearing this, but he still advised Gao, saying: "Don't worry too much. Our son has the skills I taught him to survive, and he will be fine."
Gao could only nod and say, "I hope so!"
A few days ago, the northern barbarians attacked again in the frontier thousands of miles away. Fortunately, the commander made a great plan and beat the northern barbarians to flee. An Yong also killed many enemy soldiers with his own skills, including a small enemy leader. After driving away the enemy, An Yong was rewarded for his merits and was made a centurion, which was quite favored by the commander.
Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and it was a rare time to relax. The commander-in-chief took charge and slaughtered several fat pigs so that the soldiers could have a good Mid-Autumn Festival.
At this time, An Yong was sitting at a table with several middle-level generals. He was staring at the food and wine in front of him in a daze. His immediate superior, Captain Liu Qianfu, looked at An Yong in a daze and said, "Dayong, what are you thinking about? I see you've been in a daze for a long time."
An Yong came back to his senses and said, "Nothing, I just miss home. I wonder if my dad's leg has healed."
Captain Liu patted An Yong on the shoulder and said, "Once we defeat the northern barbarians, we can go home. I wonder if that brat still remembers me as his father."
A bearded man nearby listened to the conversation between the two and said with some sadness: "You still have a son. Unfortunately, I had just married when the northern barbarians attacked. I have been here for five years. I wonder if my wife still remembers what I look like." As soon as these words came out, everyone burst into laughter, and the sadness just now was dispelled a little.
The commander was in a good mood today, so he let the generals drink two taels of wine, which was a rare occasion. The generals had not tasted wine for a long time, so they cherished the wine in the glass very much, and even clinked the glasses with caution, for fear of spilling a drop.
An Yong handed the wine glass in his hand to Captain Liu and said, "Captain, please drink my wine. I am not used to it."
Captain Liu Qian didn't take it and said, "You have to drink even if you are not used to it. What grown man doesn't know how to drink? Come, let's have a drink." As he said that, he raised his glass and clinked it with An Yong.
An Yong had no choice but to put the wine glass to his lips and take a sip. This wine was Shaodaozi, a kind of wine that was unique to the border. As soon as the wine entered his throat, it felt like being cut by a knife. An Yong coughed twice, causing Captain Liu to laugh, and everyone continued to toast each other.
The An family in Huaishu Village was also a little sad at this time. An Ning looked at the depressed An Dashan and Gao and could only dress up to liven up the atmosphere. Fortunately, An Dashan and Gao quickly adjusted their mood and the family had a good reunion dinner.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
