W Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Going Home

It had been nearly a month since Ling Xing had been home, and he truly missed his family.

Inside the carriage, Ling Yue sat upright, his small face tense with nervousness.

He was going to his brother’s husband’s home, to trouble them. He didn’t know if they would like him.

What if they didn’t like him, and he burdened his brother? What would he do?

At that moment, Ling Yue’s small head was filled with big worries.

Ling Xing called him several times without getting a response.

“Ah Yue, stop daydreaming, we’re almost there. Get ready to get off.”

Ling Xing’s words snapped Ling Yue out of his daze. He quickly encouraged himself in his heart several times, telling himself not to be afraid and to be sure to behave well.

He absolutely couldn’t let the Shen family dislike him.

The work in the fields was never-ending, and at this time, the Shen family was all out working.

Shen Lai and the three children, Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia, were left at home to watch the house and do chores.

Hearing the sound of a carriage, Shen Lai jumped up and peered out.

Seeing the carriage coming towards their house, he guessed that it was the long-unseen ge’er husband and second brother returning. He immediately opened the gate and ran out.

“Big Brother Husband!”

Shen Lai shouted as he ran, stopping the carriage.

Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia also followed closely behind Shen Lai, panting.

Shen Hui had no choice but to lift the three children into the carriage, and then continued to drive into the yard.

“Big Brother Husband! I missed you so much! Waaah…”

After so many days apart, Shen Lai really missed Ling Xing.

As soon as he got on the carriage, he threw himself into Ling Xing’s arms, crying with joy.

During the time Ling Xing was gone, the little guy would sometimes wake up startled at night. Finding no one beside him, his heart would feel empty, and his nose would twitch with sadness as he cried silently.

When he was too tired to cry, he would naturally fall back asleep.

Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia also missed Ling Xing.

People’s hearts were made of flesh, and when Ling Xing was around, they always got a share of whatever good food he made. Children were the most sensitive to who treated them well and who didn’t.

They really liked their eldest brother-in-law.

However, the two children were more reserved than Shen Lai and didn’t throw themselves directly into Ling Xing’s arms to cry.

Instead, they gently tugged at Ling Xing’s sleeves, saying softly, “Big Brother Husband, we missed you too.”

Ling Xing’s heart softened as he stroked each of their faces, “I missed you all too.”

Ling Yue sat quietly to the side, seeing his brother being liked and cared for by so many people, and he was happy in his heart.

After Shen Lai had wailed his fill, he noticed the child sitting in the carriage.

He looked closely and saw that he was even smaller than Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia.

His appearance was somewhat similar to his ge’er husband.

Shen Lai sat up and asked, “Ge’er Husband, is he your younger brother?”

Ling Xing nodded, “Yes, this is my younger brother, Ling Yue. Little Five, you can call him Ah Yue. Xiao Chun, Xiao Xia, you can call him Little Uncle.”

In ancient times, people were very particular about titles, and getting them wrong would be ridiculed.

Therefore, Ling Xing was careful with his introductions, not wanting the children to be criticized for their titles.

He then introduced Ling Yue, “Ah Yue, this is Shen Lai, at home they call him Little Five. He’s older than you, you can call him Little Five Brother. This is Xiao Chun, this is Xiao Xia, you can just call them Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia.”

Ling Yue obediently greeted them, “Little Five Brother, Xiao Chun, Xiao Xia. It’s nice to meet you, I’ll be troubling you in the future.”

Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia were even more timid in the presence of strangers, and they didn’t quite understand Ling Yue’s last words. The two of them said in unison, timidly, “Little Uncle,” and then shrank back beside Ling Xing like little quails.

Shen Lai had never seen a child like this before.

Although he didn’t have much of an expression on his face, he looked gentle and well-behaved, and he was also good-looking.

He was completely different from the children in the village.

It was just that his voice was a little hoarse.

Thinking of his own snotty and tearful appearance, Shen Lai inexplicably felt a little embarrassed.

He raised his hand to wipe his face with his sleeve, but halfway there, a clean gray cloth appeared before his eyes.

“Little Five Brother, use this cloth.”

Shen Lai looked at his own sleeve, and then at the clean cloth.

Was he being a little too unrefined?

Realizing this, Shen Lai awkwardly took the cloth.

“Thank you, Ah Yue.”

Ling Yue shook his head casually, “You’re welcome.”

…

The Shen family returned from the fields, and from a distance, they saw the carriage in the yard, and knew that it was Ling Xing and the others who had returned.

Shen Lai, who was playing in the yard, saw his mother return and was the first to rush out,Twist Xu Youfang to make him a cloth.

Xu Youfang put down her farming tools and looked at Shen Hui strangely.

“Has the sun risen in the west? Who was it who said before that they didn’t need it, they had sleeves?”

“I need it now,” Shen Lai muttered softly.

Otherwise, as an older brother, he would be wiping his nose in front of his younger brother, how embarrassing would that be?

Seeing that Shen Lai was finally opening up and paying attention to himself, Xu Youfang agreed directly.

“I’ll make it for you when I have time in a couple of days.”

Hearing the commotion outside, Ling Xing, wearing a tattered apron and holding a wooden spatula in his hand, ran out.

He called out happily, “Father, Mother, Fourth Brother, Fourth Sister-in-law.”

Shen Chengshan nodded with a smile, “Ah, you’re finally back. It’s good that you’re back.”

Xu Youfang and Cao Manyue also missed Ling Xing and responded with smiles.

Their way of expressing their longing was to take off the apron and wooden spatula from Ling Xing’s body and take over the cooking.

“You barely gained a little weight, and you’ve lost it all again these past few days. Go rest, let Mother do it.”

Xu Youfang pushed Ling Xing out of the kitchen, and Ling Xing had no choice but to walk towards the east room.

His meal was almost ready, so he could bring Ling Yue over to eat together, as a way to meet everyone.

During the meal, Ling Yue attracted the unanimous attention of the Shen family.

“Oh, this is Xing Ge’er’s younger brother? Look at his appearance and demeanor, he’s definitely different.”

Seeing Ling Yue, Xu Youfang’s eyes lit up.

This child looked just like a young Shen Hai, with the air of a little adult and a scholarly aura.

She lovingly stroked Ling Yue’s head and asked him softly, “Ah Yue, does your leg still hurt?”

Ling Yue wasn’t used to such closeness from strangers, he was very embarrassed, his cheeks were red, and he shook his head slightly.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore, Auntie.”

The more Xu Youfang looked at Ling Yue, the more she liked him, her heart and eyes were full of him.

Even Shen Chengshan looked at Ling Yue several times, and when he ate, the first chopstickful of food was always for Ling Yue.

There wasn’t a single meat dish on the table, the Shen family was eating wild vegetables.

Now the wild vegetables were old, and the taste wasn’t as good.

But Ling Xing was willing to add lard and salt, so it was still edible.

Having experienced the famine and the days in the Zhao family, such dishes were extremely delicious to Ling Yue.

Seeing him eat so well, the Shen family was relieved.

It was good that he could get used to the food.

After the meal, Xu Youfang added another quilt to Ling Xing’s room.

“Little Five doesn’t sleep peacefully, this quilt is for him to cover separately, so he doesn’t kick Ah Yue’s leg again.”

Shen Lai listened to the side, angry but not daring to speak.

Moreover, what his mother said was true.

After making the bed, Ling Xing gathered the Shen family in the main room to sit.

The sun shone right into the main room, warm and cozy.

After everyone sat down, Ling Xing told the Shen family about what had happened during this period.

Including the fact that he couldn’t sell buns and steamed buns anymore.

After hearing this, it was impossible for the Shen family to say that they didn’t feel anything.

However, not being able to continue this business was a pity, but it was worth it to bring their family back.

Seeing that Ling Xing looked relaxed, Shen Chengshan knew that he had a backup plan, so he asked, “Then what are you planning to do in the future? If there’s anything you need help with, just say so.”

“Thank you, Father.”

Ling Xing was very grateful for the Shen family’s trust and care. After organizing his thoughts, he also spoke of his subsequent plans.

“Ah Yue’s voice was ruined by the medicine, I want to continue treating it.”

Although it couldn’t be completely cured, because Ling Yue was young, the degree of recovery would be best if he was treated well now.

Ling Xing really couldn’t convince himself to just let it go and not continue the treatment.

The Shen family deeply understood Ling Xing’s choice.

As long as there was a glimmer of hope, no matter how difficult, they would not give up on treatment.

Shen Chengshan agreed with Ling Xing’s idea and decided that he nodded slightly, “Your mother and I have also saved some money, I’ll ask your mother to give it to you later, take Ah Yue to get good treatment.”

Ling Xing quickly shook his head, “No need, Father. I can’t continue selling buns and steamed buns now, but I’ve also thought about doing other businesses. I can earn money now, Father, you should keep all your money.”

The steamer at home couldn’t be wasted, and now it wasn’t like in the beginning, when he didn’t have a penny in his hand.

He was fully capable of changing to another food and continuing to do it.

Ling Xing planned to make soup dumplings to sell, which would also save the fermentation time.

Moreover, he could continue to sell steamed rice cakes.

Later, if the business became stable, he thought of getting another iron griddle. He could make fried potstickers, scallion pancakes, and other things to sell.

Hearing that Ling Xing still had other things he could do to make a living, the Shen family breathed a sigh of relief.

“Also, I want to let Ah Yue continue his studies.”

Ling Xing’s words surprised the Shen family.

They had never thought about the issue of letting their children study.

Shen Chengshan and Xu Youfang were completely frightened by the house ransacking and just wanted the family to live a plain and stable life.

So they hadn’t thought about it.

Shen Gui and Cao Manyue hadn’t considered it at all.

Because Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia were one girl and one ge’er, neither of them would go to school.

“When Ah Yue was three years old, he started studying at dawn and worked hard until late at night. He was very diligent and liked it very much. It just so happens that the county magistrate said he was willing to give Ah Yue books related to the imperial examinations, which would save a lot of money, so I thought I’d let Ah Yue continue his studies.”

For studying and taking the imperial examinations, the cost of books was the biggest expense, followed by pens, ink, paper, and tuition.

Now that the most expensive thing had been resolved, and it was Ling Xing himself who was providing for his own younger brother to continue his studies, the Shen family didn’t say much.

Shen Chengshan only said, “Remember to tell your parents if you don’t have enough money.”

Ling Yue was very surprised about being able to continue his studies.

He didn’t interrupt when the adults were talking, and he listened quietly.

When he returned to the room, he happily threw himself into Ling Xing’s arms, his ears red, and said thank you brother, promising that he would definitely study hard.

Ling Xing smiled as he stroked his head, thinking of giving Little Five a reward.

Look, in just half a day, Ah Yue had learned to throw himself into his arms and act spoiled from Little Five.

“Xing Ge’er, Mother is looking for you to talk about something, is it convenient to come in?”

Xu Youfang called out from outside, and Ling Yue immediately jumped up like he had been electrocuted, sitting upright.

Ling Xing couldn’t help but laugh and cry, and smoothed his hair for him.

“Mother, come in quickly.”

Xu Youfang lifted the curtain and entered the room, using the dim light to sit down by the bed.

She stuffed a tael of silver into Ling Xing’s hand.

“Xing Ge’er, Mother wants to try the velvet flowers you mentioned earlier.”

Before, because fine copper wire was expensive, Xu Youfang couldn’t bear to buy it.

But her eyes really couldn’t take any more strain.

Before, she planned to earn as much as she could before she went blind.

But then she thought, even if she desperately embroidered for the next two years, she wouldn’t earn enough money for the rest of her life.

If she really went blind, wouldn’t she still have to trouble the family?

If she was missing an arm or a leg, she could still do some housework, but if she went blind, she couldn’t do anything.

Xu Youfang hadn’t been able to sleep for several nights, thinking about how to continue making money.

In the end, she thought of the velvet flowers that Ling Xing had mentioned.

After all, the family had been wealthy before, and they had seen a lot. Xu Youfang thought about it again and again, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt that she could do it.

Ling Xing was a little surprised that Xu Youfang suddenly decided to make velvet flowers. He didn’t take the silver, but asked worriedly, “Mother, are you not feeling well anywhere?”

Xu Youfang didn’t hide anything, she lowered her voice, “Mother’s eyes can’t embroider anymore, the family doesn’t know about this yet, you and Ah Yue listen, don’t say anything for now.”

The two brothers nodded when they heard this.

Ling Xing was also very glad that after learning this “bad news,” Mother decided to change careers instead of continuing to embroider while hiding it from the family, really ruining her eyes.

Although it was said that to succeed, you couldn’t be reluctant to spend money.

But after all, it was going to cost a tael of silver, and Xu Youfang was a little nervous and uneasy.

She was afraid that her decision was wrong and that she would lose a tael of silver for nothing.

“Xing Ge’er, do you think those velvet flowers can really be made?” Xu Youfang asked uncertainly.

Ling Xing didn’t answer immediately, he recalled the velvet flowers he had seen.

He had really seen the exquisite beauty of velvet flowers.

Some skilled people could even use velvet thread to make flower scenes and hairpins.

Different threads had different luster, and the velvet flowers made were also different.

Don’t look down on just velvet thread, if it’s really made carefully, it can also be extremely delicate.

“They can definitely be made, Mother.”

Xu Youfang received affirmation, convincing herself not to be timid anymore, pushing the silver forward, “Okay, no matter how difficult it is, Mother will definitely make them.”

Early the next morning, Ling Xing went to town to buy meat and flour.

He also went to find Wang Youmai.

Thanks to Wang Youmai’s timely information about Ling Yue’s matter.

Before, because of Ling Yue’s injury, he couldn’t leave him, so Ling Xing thought of thanking him after things settled down.

Shen Hui went with Ling Xing, one because it would be dangerous for a ge’er to go to the street alone, and the other to help carry things.

Ling Xing first went to sesame oil Street to find Wang Youmai.

When he and Shen Hui arrived, Wang Youmai was cleaning up the dishes.

He was very surprised when he looked up and saw them.

“Little stall owner, why are you here?” He asked Ling Xing, “Did you resolve your younger brother’s matter?”

Ling Xing nodded, “The matter is resolved. I came today to thank you in person.”

Wang Youmai said, “There’s nothing to thank me for. I haven’t properly thanked you for helping me find a stall.”

“We need to thank you, my younger brother is very important to me. Without Wang Stall Owner helping to keep an eye on things and informing me in time, I’m afraid I would never have seen my younger brother again.”

Ling Xing was very clear in his heart, any later, and Ling Yue would have been sold somewhere else, and it would have been difficult to find him again.

“Wang Stall Owner, I don’t have anything to give, I’ll teach you two food recipes today.”

Ling Xing didn’t have much silver to give, and his little silver wasn’t enough. He might as well give two recipes that would allow people to continuously make money.

After thinking for a while, Wang Youmai nodded in agreement.

It was good to accept it, otherwise, people would always remember this favor, and they wouldn’t be at ease.

Wang Youmai closed his stall and took Ling Xing and Shen Hui back to his home.

The Wang family didn’t live in a very good place either, a small courtyard in the alley, where two families lived.

The three rooms facing the sun were where the Wang family of nine lived.

At this moment, only Wang Youmai’s wife, Chen Hua, was at home, the others had gone out to work.

“Mother of the children, go to the meat market to help me buy some meat and bones.”

Chen Hua limped out of the east room, originally wanting to ask Wang Youmai why he was back so early today, but after seeing Ling Xing and Shen Hui, she looked at Wang Youmai in confusion.

“Oh, let me introduce you.”

Wang Youmai roughly explained the cause and effect, and Chen Hua heard that he was going to give his family two recipes to make a living, in order to express his gratitude, she didn’t know what to do with joy.

She carried a vegetable basket and looked happy, “I’ll be right back.”

Ling Xing taught Wang Youmai how to make dumplings and wontons.

This was convenient for Wang Youmai to make, and he could sell them directly at the noodle stall.

Because Wang Youmai couldn’t read, Ling Xing could only do it once with him.

After the meat was bought, from chopping the filling to mixing the filling.

How to make the wrappers, step by step, hand in hand.

Ling Xing originally thought that rolling the dumpling wrappers would be difficult, but he didn’t expect Wang Youmai to learn so quickly.

The dumpling wrappers he rolled were round, and the thickness was just right.

Wonton wrappers had to be cut with a knife, which took a little effort.

But it used less filling, and the profit from a small bowl of bone broth wontons was still very considerable.

Stewing the bone broth took time, and Ling Xing didn’t wait here. He just went through the bone broth seasoning with Wang Youmai once.

After the dumplings and wontons were wrapped, they were boiled directly.

The courtyard was full of hot steam.

Ling Xing and Shen Hui didn’t stay to eat dumplings and wontons, and after they were cooked, they said goodbye to Wang Youmai and his wife.

“I have other things to do, so I won’t stay.”

Wang Youmai and his wife knew that they couldn’t keep them, and they gratefully saw them off.

After returning, the two tasted the dumplings and wontons, and their eyes were filled with surprise as they looked at each other.

They were really delicious!

After leaving Wang Youmai’s house, Ling Xing and Shen Hui first went to the art supply store to buy fine copper wire.

The shopkeeper was very excited when he saw Ling Xing, “Little stall owner, where have you been these past few days? I haven’t had steamed buns and buns in a long time!”

Ling Xing said embarrassedly, “There’s something going on at home, I’m here to buy fine copper wire.”

Speaking of this, the shopkeeper was also a little embarrassed.

He had promised to buy a small piece for Ling Xing from another buyer before.

As a result, those who came to buy later were all servants, how dare they make this decision.

Later, Ling Xing’s stall didn’t open, and there was no news, and he didn’t know if the person would come back, so the shopkeeper didn’t pay attention to this matter anymore.

Today, Ling Xing came specifically to buy fine copper wire, and the shopkeeper specially picked a thicker bundle for Ling Xing.

When he handed it over, he asked him, “Little stall owner, is your stall still open? If it is, give me a time, so I can go to support it.”

Ling Xing also handed over the silver, “The stall is open. But I don’t sell steamed buns and buns anymore, I’m going to sell another kind, called soup dumplings. If the shopkeeper is interested, you can go to the original stall in three days to see.”

Hearing that he didn’t sell steamed buns and buns, the shopkeeper’s heart was disappointed for a while.

This was his favorite thing to eat.

But he didn’t ask any extra questions, the good business suddenly stopped, and when he came back, he didn’t do the previous business anymore, something must have happened.

The shopkeeper said, “Okay, then I’ll go take a look then.”

The fine copper wire was not put in the back basket, but Ling Xing put it in his arms and kept it safe.

The grain shop and the meat market, the two first went to the meat market that was closer to buy meat and pig skin.

Ling Xing went to Wu Dali to buy these.

Not to mention that they were fresh, they wouldn’t be short of weight.

When Wu Dali saw that Ling Xing specifically wanted pig skin, he was a little puzzled. This thing was usually cut together with the meat, and he really didn’t know how to set the price for selling it alone.

“How about this, I’ll slice the pig skin for you first this time, and I’ll calculate the bill at night to see how much is appropriate. You can give me the money next time you come.”

Ling Xing said, “Okay, let’s do as Uncle Wu says.”

After buying the meat and pig skin to be used, the last thing was to go to the grain shop.

After entering, he heard the clerk talking to a person with flying eyebrows and dancing eyes.

“Oh, have you heard? Shopkeeper Zhao is making a family dispute, and it’s all the way to the yamen.”

Ling Xing and Shen Hui looked at each other, and the shopkeeper Zhao that the clerk was talking about was probably Zhao Fan.

They were all doing grain shop business, plus Zhao Fan did say yesterday in the yamen that he wanted to separate the family.

Ling Xing didn’t know what happened to the Zhao family after that.

He thought of finding out how the Zhao family was when he had time.

Customers came to the store, and the clerk hurriedly came to greet them.

Seeing that it was an acquaintance, he immediately smiled and said, “Yo, little stall owner, haven’t seen you for a long time, where have you been making a fortune these days?”

“I haven’t gone anywhere, there are some things going on at home, and I’ve taken care of them recently.”

The clerk knew better and didn’t ask any more questions, turning the topic to business.

“What does the little stall owner want? Still twenty catties of flour?”

Ling Xing nodded, and added, “Do you still have potatoes?”

Now wasn’t the time for potatoes to be on the market, grain shops usually had cellars to store potatoes and sweet potatoes.

They could be kept for half a year without spoiling, and they could wait for the new batch to come on the market.

The clerk replied, “Yes, but it’s not the season now, and the price is doubled, twelve wen per catty.”

“Okay, give me forty catties.”

The grain shop had a small area for selling spices and seasonings.

The amount wasn’t large, it was just sold along with them.

Ling Xing went over to pick some star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, peppercorns, and also bought some dried ginger slices.

There wasn’t much in total, they were all bought by the grain and by the slice, and it actually cost twenty wen when calculating the bill.

Spices were too expensive, and Ling Xing was glad in his heart that he had restrained himself and didn’t take too much.

Adding the potatoes and rice from before, it cost a total of nine hundred wen in the grain shop.

Ling Xing did the math in his head and took a deep breath! The taste of money only going out and not coming in was really not good.

The things were carried over by Shen Hui, and in Ling Xing’s back basket, there was only a bag of spices.

“Second Lang, if you’re tired, you must stop to rest, don’t hurt yourself.”

Shen Hui heard the worry in Ling Xing’s tone, and he smiled and said, “It’s been so long, doesn’t Ge’er Husband know how strong I am?”

Ling Xing had long felt that Shen Hui didn’t seem to put his own body at ease, and he sighed softly, “Knowing is one thing, worrying is another. No matter how great you are, I will worry about you.”

Hearing this, Shen Hui paused, and quickly adjusted.

When he walked to the mountain path, without the noise from the outside world, Shen Hui opened his mouth again and asked Ling Xing, “Ge’er Husband, what do you think about me studying and taking the imperial examinations?”