"Then we're off." Lin Chaosheng secured the last box of goods and helped Su Hang onto the donkey cart.
"Okay, take it easy, don't get hurt," Liang Mei instructed.
After watching them walk away, Liang Mei started helping out again.
Noon had passed, and they needed to start preparing dinner and breakfast for tomorrow morning.
Zhao Shufang stood in front of a pile of ingredients, pondering. In the past, she didn't know where to start because there was nothing to eat. Now, she had too much food and didn't know where to begin.
“We’ve been eating too much oily food lately, let’s have something lighter for dinner,” Zhao Shufang suggested.
Liang Mei and Liang Fu also started thinking, they really didn't know what to eat if they wanted something light.
"How about we have some cold noodles?" Aunt Chen still remembered the noodles she had one summer before the famine—refreshing, sour, and spicy, perfect for whetting her appetite and cooling her down.
"Cold noodles? Great! Paired with mung bean soup, and then I'll boil some dandelion water. It'll be both refreshing and delicious." Zhao Shufang clapped her hands and made her decision.
The women quickly divided up the tasks.
Since we don't have to provide dinner for the workers, preparing things is much more convenient.
However, after thinking it over, Zhao Shufang felt that these workers were also having a hard time, so she decided to cook more mung bean porridge and dandelion soup for them to cool off in the summer.
So Liang Mei and Liang Fu started soaking mung beans and rice.
The three older women also started washing bean sprouts, cucumbers, and other side dishes, preparing to shred them.
Zhao Shufang scooped out a few spoonfuls of flour, dissolved the alkali and salt in water, and began kneading the dough.
Her skillful technique attracted Liang Mei and Liang Fu to come forward and learn.
"I'll teach you how to roll out the dough later. Go and cook some mung bean porridge," Zhao Shufang urged the two of them. "I'll fill some cold water in a bit and let it sit for a while, so it will taste even more refreshing when you drink it."
The six people were busy in the courtyard in an orderly manner, enjoying themselves immensely.
Lin Chaosheng and Lin Shanhai had just left the village and were preparing to take Su Hang to the clinic first, because her foot looked even more swollen.
"It's really nothing, you guys go deliver the goods first, I don't feel anything at all." Su Hang tried his best to dissuade them, but Lin Chaosheng and his son Lin Shanhai both agreed that seeing a doctor was the most important thing.
So they went to the clinic, and the two of them, like bodyguards, helped Su Hang inside.
Fortunately, there were fewer people today, and they arrived in Suzhou and Hangzhou after only a short wait inside.
"How did you hurt your foot? You're lucky you didn't break any bones!" the doctor said, frowning.
"Is her condition serious now?" Lin Chaosheng asked anxiously.
"How could it not be serious? It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, and this looks like a broken tendon," the doctor thought for a moment. "Why don't you go to see Old Man Qiao in Shiqiao Town next door? Traditional Chinese medicine should help you recover faster, since you don't have everything you need right now."
Upon hearing this, the father and son immediately picked up the Suzhou and Hangzhou flags and headed back to Shiqiao Town.
"Knock, knock, knock," Lin Chaosheng knocked carefully. "Is this the place? I feel like no one's here."
"Let me see." Lin Shanhai was about to put his ear to the door to listen when the door opened.
"Cough cough cough cough..." Lin Shanhai was startled and quickly coughed to cover up his embarrassment.
"What can I do for you?" an old man with a white beard asked.
"Doctor, this young lady has sprained her ankle. We heard that you are a highly skilled doctor, so we came to ask you for help," Lin Chaosheng said with a smile.
Old Man Qiao stepped forward, took a look, and said, "The tendon isn't too badly injured. Just wait here."
After saying that, he went inside to get his things.
The group waited idly at the door for a while, until finally Old Man Qiao came out with a pair of items.
"Keep her legs flat, you two hold her and make sure she doesn't move around. I'm going to start the acupuncture." After saying that, he unfolded an acupuncture kit and took out a long needle from it.
"My god, it's so long!" Su Hang glanced at Meng and closed his eyes. "How about one of you punches me unconscious first?"
As they were talking, Old Man Qiao inserted the needles, and then inserted several more in succession.
Su Hang felt an unbearable pain, but when Old Man Qiao told him not to move, he gritted his teeth and endured it without moving.
"It's okay, pinch us if it hurts," Lin Chaosheng comforted Su Hang, seeing his pained expression.
"Just pinch my son, don't pinch me." Lin Shanhai couldn't resist making a sarcastic remark.
"Father!" Lin Chaosheng looked at Lin Shanhai speechlessly.
Lin Shanhai chuckled, "Just kidding, I was just thinking the atmosphere was a bit heavy..."
About an hour later, Old Man Qiao finished the acupuncture. "Alright, that's it. Take this medicated oil home and rub it in your palms to warm it up every day, then use it to warm her legs. She should be able to get out of bed and walk around in about a month."
"A month?" Su Hang exclaimed in shock.
"What? Still think it's taking too long?" Old Man Qiao glanced at her and said.
Lin Chaosheng quickly patted Su Hang's arm, "No, no, she's just surprised that it happened so quickly. After all, it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone."
After saying that, he took out the money wrapped in cloth from his pants. "Doctor, do you think this is enough?"
Old Man Qiao didn't even glance at it, and said, "These days, who wants money? I want food."
Lin Chaosheng and Lin Shanhai searched themselves from head to toe but found they had brought food with them.
"How about I leave the money here and bring you some food tomorrow? We really didn't bring any today," Lin Chaosheng said apologetically.
"No way, I want to eat today. None of you are leaving until I give it to you," Old Man Qiao said firmly, shaking his head.
Lin Shanhai crossed his arms, then suddenly patted Lin Chaosheng's arm and whispered, "There are fish here, just give him some. Old Liu needs the next day's shipment, so we can definitely deliver it later."
Upon hearing this, Lin Chaosheng quickly praised, "Father, you're so clever!"
After saying that, he took two mackerel out of the basket and handed them to Old Man Qiao, "Doctor, how about these?"
When Old Man Qiao saw the glistening, slippery mackerel, his eyes widened, and he hurriedly took it, saying, "Yes, yes, absolutely!"
Finally, after taking Su Hang to see the doctor, the father and son drove the donkey cart to the state-run restaurant.
They carried the goods inside, and Lin Chaosheng looked around for Lao Liu, wanting to tell him that he would send him two more mackerel later and ask him to wait a while.
He searched everywhere and finally found Old Liu by the corner of a wall near the west gate of the state-run restaurant.
He didn't dare to go up and disturb Lao Liu, because from a distance, Lao Liu seemed to be talking to someone, and it seemed like he was comforting someone.
Just as he was about to turn around and wait a while, Lin Chaosheng and the man in the background who was offering comfort made eye contact. The man pointed at Lin Chaosheng, and Lao Liu turned around and hurriedly walked over.
"I'm so sorry, Brother Lin, my brother here is having some trouble at home. I'm giving him some advice. I'll go get the money for you right now," Old Liu said apologetically.
"It's alright, I should apologize to you. I ran into some trouble on the way and was delayed, and I forgot to deliver two of those mackerel. Could you stay a little later today? I'll go back and get them for you now," Lin Chaosheng asked.
"It's alright, it's alright. I'm just having dinner and chatting with my brother nearby. Once you bring it to me, just wait for me in the kitchen. I'll give you the money." Old Liu waved his hand and said.
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