Faint voices could be heard coming from the courtyard. Xiao Li came out of the room and saw Yun Yu Niang tidying up the mushrooms she had brought back that morning. The person she was talking to was her third aunt, Huang Chunhua.
"Xiao Li is awake. Why didn't you call out to anyone? Your third aunt was just praising you."
"Third Aunt, please sit down. I'll go pour you some tea." Xiao Li said, heading into the kitchen.
Huang Chunhua quickly pulled Xiaoli aside and said, "Don't bother, I'm leaving now. We'll have tea again next time." She then said to Yun Yuniang, "Come early tomorrow, let's go together, so you can help me choose a nice pattern. I'm going back now."
"Sigh, I'll come find you first thing tomorrow morning." Yun Yuniang stood up and saw Huang Chunhua to the door before turning back to continue tidying up the mushrooms.
"Mom, where are you going tomorrow?" Xiaoli sat down on the small stool where her third aunt had just been sitting.
Yun Yuniang replied, "Isn't it because your second sister is getting engaged? Your third aunt is thinking of getting her some nice clothes made, and she asked me to go to town with her tomorrow to take a look."
"I'll get you some floral fabric tomorrow and make you a summer outfit, okay?" Yun Yuniang smiled and glanced at Xiaoli.
"Mother, I have enough clothes. I'll make some for you and Father, and for my brother too, his clothes are all too short." Xiaoli smiled.
Having nothing to do for a few days after transmigrating, I tidied up my room. The original owner had quite a lot of clothes. In this small rural town, the original owner was quite happy. Unfortunately, a cold took its toll.
"Make new clothes for everyone. Tomorrow I'll get a few feet for your brother too, and buy some scraps of cloth to make new shoes for you," Yun Yu's mother said as she tidied up the mushrooms. She spread the cleaned mushrooms on a round winnowing basket and placed it on top of the chicken coop in the corner to dry. She took the damaged mushrooms to the kitchen to eat that evening.
"Mom, I want to go to town too. I'll go with you tomorrow, okay?" Xiao Li clung to Yun Yu's mother's arm, acting coquettishly. While doing this, Xiao Li inexplicably blushed a little, but it felt wonderful.
Yun Yuniang thought for a moment, and looking at her daughter's longing eyes, her heart softened.
"Alright, then you'd better get up early tomorrow morning, don't be late."
"Okay, I'll get up early, Mom. Please wake me up early tomorrow morning." Xiaoli was also very happy. It was her first time going to town. What would it be like there? She was quite looking forward to it.
The next day came quickly. Xiao Li was a little excited that night and slept for a long time before falling asleep. She only woke up when Yun Yu Niang woke her up.
"I'm getting up now, Mother!" she said, quickly getting dressed.
Although it was spring, it was still a bit chilly in the morning. Xiao Li was wearing a thin jacket. She quickly combed her hair into two buns and tied them with headbands. She looked well-behaved and very cute.
Yun Yuniang had already prepared the water for washing her face and was waiting for Xiaoli to come and wash up. After she was ready, Yun Yuniang was ready to leave. She was carrying a basket on her back and was standing at the door waiting.
Xiao Li walked over, took Yun Yuniang's hand, and asked, "Mother, aren't we going to eat? Where are Father and Brother?"
“Your father and brother got up and went to the fields a long time ago. I left them some food, it’s keeping warm in the pot. I’ve already eaten, I’ll buy you some steamed buns at the market later, okay?” Yun Yu’s mother gently patted Xiao Li’s bun and said tenderly.
“Okay, let’s hurry up and set off. Auntie must be waiting for us.” Xiaoli nodded as she followed Yun Yuniang outside.
The Mo family lived at the foot of the mountain, on the outskirts of the village. One had to cross the village to reach the main road. Passing by Auntie's house, Yun Yu Niang called out "Sister-in-law," and Huang Chunhua responded and came out. She also carried a basket on her back, followed by Mo Xiaoli's second sister, Huang Chunhua's eldest daughter, Mo Xiaoyue. She was a few months younger than Mo Yunxiao and two years older than Mo Xiaoli.
Xiao Li went over and called out, "Sister Xiao Yue." Mo Xiao Yue was also happy to see Xiao Li: "Xiao Li, you're here too, let's go together." As she spoke, she came over and took Xiao Li's arm. This intimate posture made Xiao Li a little uncomfortable, but she still endured it.
After the group reunited, they headed straight out of the village.
Mojia Village isn't far from the market; it's about a half-hour walk. To get to town, you need to take an oxcart from the market, which is a two-hour walk. So you have to get up early to wait for the oxcart and go to town together.
When Xiao Li and her group arrived, there were already seven or eight people sitting on the oxcart, and with them, it was almost full. Old Mo, the driver, cracked his whip and said, "It's about time, so we won't wait any longer. Hold on tight, we're setting off now."
Xiao Li sat next to Yun Yu Niang, with Mo Xiao Yue to her left. She took out the meat buns she had just bought at the market and ate them in small bites. Each bun cost two copper coins. When she bit into one, the meat filling was revealed. The skin was thin and the filling was generous, and the aroma immediately filled the air.
"Oh, Xiaoli's mother, you spoil the child too much. She's already eating meat buns. It's only March, and the autumn harvest is still a long way off."
Xiao Li looked in the direction of the voice and saw a plump auntie speaking sourly, but her eyes were fixed on the meat bun in Xiao Li's hand, and she even swallowed.
Xiao Li turned her head away nonchalantly and continued eating her steamed bun. Mo Xiaoyue, who was next to her, saw her like this and scratched her arm. Xiao Li winked at her and quickly stuffed the steamed bun into her mouth in a few bites.
Yun Yuniang took out a small, tightly wrapped teacup with a lid from her basket and handed it to Xiaoli, saying, "Eat slowly, don't choke."
Yun Yu Niang turned to the plump aunt and said, "Lingzi's mother, Xiao Li just recovered from her illness, and we don't have money to buy any meat or fish, so we just bought her a steamed bun to help her recover. Look at her little face, she's gotten so thin."
The plump aunt pursed her lips and then fell silent.
Several unfamiliar middle-aged women and young wives were also sitting on the cart, probably from neighboring villages. This market was quite large, and people from nearby villages would come to shop. There were more than one oxcart going to town. Yun Yu Niang and Huang Chunhua whispered to each other about where to go first in town and what to buy. Xiao Li, having finished breakfast, also looked at the pastoral scenery with great interest, occasionally echoing Mo Xiaoyue's conversation. The oxcart moved slowly, swaying and rocking, which had its own unique charm.
Two hours passed in a flash. With the road becoming increasingly smooth and more crowded with pedestrians, Xiaoli and her companions finally arrived in town. Upon entering the city, they saw the two large characters "Kaiyuan" on the plaque above the city gate. The original owner of this body was literate; she had learned to read from Yun Yuniang.
After sitting in the oxcart for a while, my buttocks were a little sore and my back was a little aching, but otherwise I was fine. Xiao Li jumped off the cart and reached out to help her mother. Yun Yu Niang glared at her, gave each of them two coins for the fare, and then walked with Huang Chunhua toward the largest cloth shop in town.
Xiao Li and Mo Xiaoyue followed behind hand in hand. After a while, she had gotten used to the close contact with Mo Xiaoyue.
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