Tao Wanniang rejected the beggar Wang Er's attempt to claim kinship with great disdain, and kept her promise by giving each of the beggars who helped her a steamed bun.
Given the state of the world and the prices, she wasn't planning to spend money in real-world shops. Even the steamed buns for the beggars were bought through the system; she just used a trick to sneak a peek at the shop.
The steamed buns in the system only cost one coin each, and they were still warm. She must be crazy to buy the ones that cost three coins each.
After doing all this, Tao Wan's mother returned to the dilapidated house and urged her son and daughter-in-law to pack their things and set off.
"Mother, did you do something?"
Ling Dahu asked with concern, his expression becoming tense.
"Let's go first, we'll talk on the way. Have you all rested enough? Let's leave Ping'an Town right away."
Tao Wanniang was afraid that things might get complicated if she waited too long. Although she had beaten those thugs quite badly, what if they struggled to take revenge?
The Ling brothers didn't dare to ask any more questions. They quickly packed their things and left Ping'an Town as fast as they could.
As soon as they left the town, Er Gou started crying and fussing; he was hungry.
The last thing I ate was a few bites of steamed buns last night.
"Let's find a place where no one can see us and rest. You must all be hungry. I have some food."
Tao Wanniang redeemed twenty steamed buns in the system. She was the first to get on the cart and took the opportunity to put the buns into the upside-down pot.
I didn't say it in Ping'an Town because I was afraid of attracting too much envy.
“Mom, when you came back, I didn’t see you take anything with you. Besides, things are so expensive in town, and you don’t have any money.”
Ling Dahu bluntly stated that he felt Tao Wanniang was comforting them.
"Stop talking nonsense and hurry up. Er Gou is crying from hunger. Would I lie to you?"
Tao Wan's mother said irritably, "Your father appeared in my dream again last night."
The Ling family was delighted to hear this, but Aunt Liang, who was also on the cart, looked at Tao Wanniang with some confusion.
Weren't we talking about food? Why are we talking about her deceased husband?
Ling Dahu quickly pushed the cart into the roadside weeds, then looked at Tao Wanniang with expectant eyes.
"Mother, what did Father give us this time?"
"Let's lift the lid."
Tao Wanniang said, pointing to the pot tied to the cart.
Ling Dahu excitedly lifted the lid of the pot, then gasped in shock and involuntarily began to count.
"One, two, three... Mother, twenty steamed buns, white steamed buns, twenty of them!"
Ling Dahu cheered. Compared to the three steamed buns they bought yesterday, these twenty white and fluffy steamed buns made him swallow his saliva.
"Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Mom. Now we can hold on for a few more days."
Compared to the Ling family's joy, Aunt Liang was somewhat shocked. Twenty steamed buns—that's a whole pot full! Tao Wan's mother hadn't brought any in. Besides, each steamed bun cost three coins, so twenty would be sixty coins. Tao Wan's mother didn't seem to have that kind of money on her.
"Aunt Liang, don't overthink or ask too many questions. As long as you're with the Ling family, you'll have plenty to eat!"
Tao Wanniang reminded her, "In this world, is there anything more important than not starving to death?"
Aunt Liang opened her mouth, but swallowed what she wanted to say. She nodded, which was considered as her agreement with Tao Wanniang's statement.
"Open all the kettles, come on, let's get some water."
Tao Wanniang then said that her large water jug was full of water again.
The system is really reliable. It provides a large vat of water worth one or two taels of silver. She sets aside a little each day and puts it in her large water jug to share with the others.
Aunt Liang had noticed this long ago, but she didn't point it out. Now she understands even more clearly what's strange about this family.
However, after spending so much time together, why would she be afraid of food that appeared out of nowhere?
"Sister Tao, you are truly blessed!"
Aunt Liang concluded with a sigh, "Following you, this old woman and Xiao Qiao'er have also benefited from good fortune."
Tao Wanniang hummed a few times and distributed water and steamed buns to everyone. She herself ate two meat buns and had no appetite for steamed buns.
"Aren't you curious about what I did? I taught those thugs who robbed you last night a lesson."
"I've said it before, I can beat my son, but no one else can!"
Tao Wanniang leisurely drank a few sips of water and calmly recounted what had happened.
The Ling brothers, who were chewing on steamed buns, stopped and looked at Tao Wanniang with reddened eyes.
"Mother, I...I misunderstood you before. You really meant well for us!"
Ling Dapeng, with a steamed bun still in his mouth, looked at Tao Wanniang with a tearful expression.
"Ha, you're moved by that? I raised you all with my own hands, and if it weren't for you, would I be living such a miserable life?"
Tao Wanniang deliberately exaggerated, saying that she wanted her two sons to listen to her more in the future, not with the mindless fear they had before, but with genuine obedience.
"Oh no, that's not right!"
Suddenly, Tao Wanniang's face darkened. She fumbled for her wrist and then frowned.
"Oh no, Aunt Liang, the bracelet you gave me is gone! Could it have slipped from your hand when you were fighting those guys?!"
Tao Wanniang rolled up her sleeves, held up her bare wrist, and said to Aunt Liang with a bitter face.
Aunt Liang felt a pang of anxiety, but quickly comforted her, saying, "It's just a bracelet; consider it a loss to avert disaster."
"Oh, that bracelet was quite pretty, it's such a shame to lose it."
Tao Wanniang said with a regretful look, "No wonder I beat up those people so easily, it must have been thanks to the bracelet you gave me!"
"Perhaps so. Compared to the kindness I've received from you these past few days, this bracelet is insignificant. Don't worry about it, sister. It's gone, it's gone."
Aunt Liang comforted Tao Wanniang, saying that although the bracelet had been with her all her life, once it was given away, it belonged to someone else.
"That's what I was thinking. Aunt Liang, here, have another steamed bun. It won't taste good if it gets hard."
Tao Wanniang was actually a little guilty. The three taels of silver she received could buy three thousand steamed buns. She was doing this for everyone!
Aunt Liang thanked her and accepted the gift. She then shared some with her granddaughter, Xiao Qiao'er, and drank some water. Her stomach felt full. These days with Tao Wan's mother had truly been the most comfortable days she and her granddaughter had experienced since leaving the village.
After eating and drinking their fill, the Ling brothers pushed the cart with great energy.
Before they finished their steamed buns, the group arrived at the county government, but the situation there seemed even worse; they were stopped at the city gate.
"The magistrate has ordered that due to the excessive number of refugees from various places, not all of them can enter Caofeng County. You refugees must leave immediately!"
The guards at the city gate rudely stopped Tao Wanniang and her party outside, as did refugees who had fled from other places.
Tao Wanniang was shocked. Cao Feng County was not allowing refugees to enter. Was it going to let the refugees die outside?
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