They went out for lunch, and when they came back, their seven children had gained an older sister.
This wasn't Hong Xiaoduo trying to take advantage of Feiyan; rather, she deliberately left the issue of how to address her to the children, just to see what they would say.
Unexpectedly, after the seven children huddled together and whispered for a while, they gave an answer.
When Hong Xiaoduo heard this address, she looked at Tian Shu, and the child turned his head away somewhat guiltily.
In the afternoon, the snow outside temporarily stopped, so Hong Xiaoduo took them out for a stroll again to see where to have dinner.
They went out for lunch, and when they came back, their seven children had gained an older sister.
Hong Xiaoduo wanted to tease the children. "Your Feiyan sister looks older than me, so why do you call me 'Mom' but call her 'Sister'?"
However, what frustrated Hong Xiaoduo was that she couldn't remember her own age, nor was she sure of her current age under this identity.
Anyway, with this face now, he looks like he's only fourteen or sixteen years old.
Never mind, I'll just pretend I'm sixteen. Sixteen is the prime of youth. With such a youthful appearance, I should naturally choose an age that matches my age.
Otherwise, should I say I'm in my thirties just to fit the persona of a mother of seven?
The bodyguard who escorted Feiyan, after eating the steamed buns, learned that Hong Xiaoduo had left Feiyan behind. Without delay, he immediately took his leave and set off back home.
When they left the inn, Feiyan wanted to carry Yaoguang, but the little one refused. Yaoguang wanted Hong Xiaoduo to hold her hand and walk with her.
Seeing Feiyan's somewhat embarrassed expression, Yuheng stepped forward and took her hand: "Sister Feiyan, let's go."
Holding Yuheng's little hand, Feiyan smiled. She knew, of course, that the child was trying to ease her embarrassment.
Yuheng warmed her hands and her heart. The children around Hongniangzi were all so kind-hearted. She had indeed made the right choice.
Although Hong Niangzi said she had no fixed abode and wandered from place to place, enduring wind and rain, she was not afraid of hardship. She used to live a life of luxury, but after one misfortune after another, she no longer longed for a life of wealth. She only hoped to have someone to rely on and someone who would treat her well and protect her.
Hong Niangzi was younger than him, but so what? She was the only person besides his parents who would help him when he was in danger.
To help herself, she disregarded the identity of the young master surnamed Zhao and even went to the courtroom.
Feiyan secretly made up her mind. Although Hong Xiaoduo forbade her to talk about repaying kindness or becoming a servant, she still wanted to repay the debt in her own way and with her actions.
The aroma of roasted sweet potatoes wafted from the roadside, so Hong Xiaoduo led everyone over and told the old man selling sweet potatoes that everyone would get one.
"I don't want to," Quan Jinghuai, who was at the very back, said reluctantly.
"Master, roasted sweet potatoes are so sweet and delicious," Yao Guang kindly reminded him.
Quan Jinghuai laughed and said, "Even if it's sweet, Master won't want it."
How could a grown man act like a bunch of kids and young women, eating a roasted sweet potato as he walks around? What kind of behavior is that!
Feiyan wanted to say she wouldn't eat, but seeing the smiles on Hong Xiaoduo's and the others' faces, she ultimately didn't say it.
They didn't treat me like an outsider, always thinking of me when we ate, and taking me along, but I always insisted on refusing. Over time, and after it happened so many times, I ended up feeling like an outsider myself!
"Mom, will eating this make you fart more easily?" Kaiyang asked with a grin as he took the roasted sweet potato the old man handed him.
"Don't worry, we don't eat sweet potatoes all day long. Besides, farting isn't anything shameful," Hong Xiaoduo replied with a smile, making Quan Jinghuai laugh along.
The aroma of roasted sweet potatoes was irresistible. With a sizzling sound, they were sweet and chewy. Fei Yan noticed that Hong Xiao Niangzi and the children ate them without even peeling them.
So she followed suit and didn't peel it. It was the first time in her life she had eaten a sweet potato with the skin on, but it was really delicious.
After finishing a sweet potato, the snowflakes started falling again, so Hong Xiaoduo and her group had to return to the inn.
I remembered to ask the innkeeper if there were any rooms available, but the answer was no, saying that even the connecting rooms were full.
"Miss Hong, I can sleep on the floor." Fei Yan understood that a room was being booked for her, and she said with great gratitude.
"It's the dead of winter, and you're a young lady, why are you sleeping on the floor? You can share a bed with Yaoguang or Yuheng tonight," Hong Xiaoduo immediately arranged.
Hearing this, Yao Guang immediately said, "I want to sleep with Mother."
"Okay, Yaoguang will sleep with me." Hong Xiaoduo smiled and patted Yaoguang's little head.
It snowed for three days, and stopped on the fourth day. Hong Xiaoduo asked Quan Jinghuai for his opinion and said that they could set off.
After having breakfast early on the fourth day, the group packed their things and set off.
The carriage was a bit cramped with one more person, so Feiyan insisted on sitting on the shaft. Hong Xiaoduo had already asked Tian Shu to tidy up the things in the donkey cart, as she wanted to sit in the donkey cart herself, but Feiyan absolutely refused.
In the end, Feiyan was allowed to sit in the donkey cart.
During a midday rest on the road, Quan Jinghuai watched Feiyan take Yaoguang to relieve herself and said, "This one is quite sensible."
“Otherwise, do you think I would agree to bring her along?” Hong Xiaoduo added some firewood to the fire.
If Feiyan were like the two young ladies she had met before, she wouldn't keep her by her side.
Why make yourself unhappy and suffer?
"Sister Feiyan, would you like to learn martial arts with us from Master?" Yaoguang asked as she emerged from the bushes.
Feiyan immediately shook her head, then asked with a smile, "You all practice martial arts?"
“Yes, Mother says that practicing martial arts can strengthen the body, make one less prone to illness, and protect oneself from harm in case of danger. But I practice martial arts so that when danger arises, I can help Mother and fight off bad guys for her,” Yao Guang said earnestly.
After hearing Yao Guang's words, Fei Yan stopped laughing. As she walked towards the fire, she thought about Yao Guang's words in her heart: martial arts could help her protect herself and also help Hong Niangzi.
Should I learn it too? I don't need to learn it to the point where I can help Hong Niangzi, but at least I should be able to protect myself and not implicate Hong Niangzi when I encounter danger.
"Master Quan, I... I want to ask, am I old enough to learn martial arts from you?" After hesitating for a long time, Fei Yan asked in a low voice.
Quan Jinghuai was taken aback at first, then nodded after thinking for a moment and said, "If you want to learn, you can practice with them, but then you won't be considered my disciple."
"Okay." Fei Yan didn't expect Quan Jinghuai to agree.
At noon, they roasted the dry food they had bought that morning over the fire, and Tianxuan cooked a pot of egg soup. They had a simple meal.
Quan Jinghuai inadvertently noticed that Hong Xiaoduo, who was eating dry rations by the fire and looking at the map, had an undisguised excitement on her face...
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