Chapter 445 Dragon Boat Festival
The fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the Dragon Boat Festival, and there is a one-day holiday.
This time, Doctor Cui was left on duty at the clinic where Li San Niang worked.
However, during the next summer holiday, it will be Dr. Li's turn to be on duty.
Overall, Manager Gao's arrangements were fairly fair, ensuring that the four resident physicians in the clinic would have roughly the same number of days off throughout the year.
That morning, Li San Niang kissed Lu Zhu'er's forehead first, and then took out the belly wrap that Li's mother had bought for Lu Zhu'er in advance.
This "wrap" is actually a bellyband with ties.
As the weather gradually gets hotter after the Dragon Boat Festival, children are dressed in bellybands to prevent them from getting cold at night by kicking off their blankets.
“Come here, my precious darling, look at the new bib your grandma bought for you, Dewdrop.”
Dewdrop rubbed her sleepy eyes as she watched Li San Niang take out the red bib with an embroidered toad on it.
What child doesn't love new things? Dewdrop's eyes crinkled with laughter as she said to Li San Niang, "Mother, it's beautiful! There's a big toad!"
Dewdrop pointed to the toad embroidered with green silk thread and exclaimed in surprise.
"It's a toad, a toad, repeat after your mother, toad."
After putting on the bellyband, Li San Niang took out the new clothes that Li Da Sao had sent and helped Lu Zhu Er put them on as well. Then she took out the colorful ribbons that Li's mother had bought in advance, which were woven from five-colored silk threads and tied them around Lu Zhu Er's wrists and ankles.
"Wear the five-colored thread, and the dewdrop will be safe and sound from now on."
Dewdrop looked happily at the colorful ribbon on her wrist, excitedly waving her hand back and forth, "Mother, find Grandma, show Grandma the dewdrop, it's pretty."
When Dewdrop found Li's mother, the way she sauntered around clearly showed that she was waiting for someone to praise her beauty.
"Oh my, Grandma's darling, she's so beautiful!"
Pearl is the prettiest little girl today!
Of course, besides Luzhu'er, Xiao Silang and Xiao Wulang also received bibs and five-colored threads prepared by Li's mother, which were beautiful wishes for the children.
"Go back and get two catties of realgar wine, then we can have it with the zongzi for dinner."
This is what Sister-in-law Li said; she was holding Xiao Wulang and trying to coax him to talk.
"Go to Li's Wine Shop on the front street. Their realgar wine has a strong flavor and is the most authentic."
"Let's see which shop sells the most zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), and then we'll buy some to eat," said Li's mother as she watched Luzhu and Xiaosilang running around the yard with Xiaohuang.
Yes, the Li family didn't prepare any food today; they're all waiting to buy it from outside.
This was done for two reasons. First, the women in the Li family, from Li's mother to Li's eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law, were very busy because the women's association was busy.
Li's mother also had to work as a midwife, Li's eldest sister-in-law had to take care of the food and drink for everyone in the Li family every day, and Li's second sister-in-law had a baby to look after.
Li San Niang had to go out on duty every day, so she had even less time to do these things.
Although Li's father and second brother would share the burden, it was still difficult to prepare food for the kitchen.
Secondly, since Li San Niang became a female doctor last year, she has had the habit of buying food for her family.
Moreover, on holidays, Li San Niang would always suggest that the whole family go out to eat. In Li San Niang's words, "On days like these, we have to trouble our elder sisters-in-law. We should all get some rest."
So, subtly influenced by her mother, and also because she was genuinely busy and had no time, Li's mother said from the beginning, "Don't do anything. We'll just go out to eat or buy something to eat at home."
That's easier and tastes better than what we make at home.
So, the whole family is waiting for Li Erxiong, Li Erlang, and Li Sanlang to return from their trip to buy food.
Before they arrived, Qin Niangzi, who lived next door, came carrying a basket.
"I bought the rice myself and filled it with dates and chestnuts."
Don't be disgusted, try some!
"Oh, thank you so much, Mr. Qin. We were just wondering where to buy it outside."
Look, our family didn't prepare anything this year, but we've received good fortune from the master.
After exchanging a few words with Li's mother, Qin Niangzi said, "My son-in-law sent someone to invite me to his home for the festival, so I won't delay any longer. See you later."
After seeing off Madam Qin, the Li family welcomed Song Fuling and Linglan, both of whom came to deliver zongzi (sticky rice dumplings).
Neither of them lingered; they exchanged a few words, delivered the rice dumplings, and then left.
"Judging by its appearance, it must have been bought from Xiang Gui Ji."
Sister-in-law Li pointed to the rice dumplings that Linglan had brought and said, "The rice dumplings that Linglan brought were smaller than those that Qin Niangzi and Song Fuling brought. However, they were not only tied with colorful silk threads, but also with woven straw ropes, making them look much more exquisite. I guess they weren't cheap either."
In addition to the cone shape, there is also a diamond shape. This way of wrapping looks nice but takes a lot of time. Shops wrap it like this to sell it at a higher price.
After eating the food that Brother Li and his companions had bought, Brother Li took down the dried mugwort that had been hung on the door last year on the Dragon Boat Festival and hung up the fresh mugwort that he had prepared in advance, which had a distinct and strong aroma.
Then, the Li family discussed how to spend the day.
Li San Niang can't go with them; she has to go to the fellow villager's restaurant for an appointment today.
Although Li San Niang herself didn't want to get involved in those things, nor did she really want to see these people, she still had to go. At least she needed to know what Ding Anbo and the people behind him were thinking and what they wanted to do.
Finding out some information might not be able to do much, but at least it will give you a general idea.
Mr. Li said he didn't want to go out; he wanted to go to the backyard to play chess with Dr. Liang.
Besides Li San Niang, Qiu Xiang and Shi Jiu were going out with her. Of the rest of the group, Li's mother and the others wanted to go shopping, while Li Er Lang and the younger ones said they wanted to go to Xingqing Pond in Chang Le Fang to watch the dragon boat races.
Finally, everyone decided to go to Chang Le Fang to watch the dragon boat races, and then browse the shops there while they were at it, and have lunch there as well.
"If you make it in time, wait for us outside the biggest restaurant over there, Juyilou, and we can eat together."
If there's not enough time, then forget it.
"Yes, I understand, Mother." Turning her head, Li San Niang said to Li Da Sao, "Thank you for your trouble, sister-in-law, please help me carry the dewdrops."
Sister-in-law Li smiled but didn't say anything. Then, Li San Niang squatted down and said to Lu Zhu'er, "Mother has something to do. I'll go find Lu Zhu'er after lunch."
"I'll wait for Mother to come back," Dewdrop nodded obediently.
Thus, Li San Niang and Qiu Xiang boarded the carriage driven by Shi Jiu and headed towards the old villager's house.
On the way, through the carriage window, one could see the bustling crowds on the street outside, with various vendors calling out their wares, creating a lively scene.
But in Li San Niang's mind, besides pondering the purpose of those people in the fellow villager building, she also thought of Li Da Lang, who should have already arrived at the Western Regions frontier.
"Look at the joyful festive atmosphere here, who would have thought that it's a time of fierce battle and desolation in the Western Regions?"
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