Chapter 49 – Warmth
Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun looked at her in surprise. Then all four of them smiled.
As Ms. Zhong was serving dinner, she said to Yan Xiaosi, “Since we’ve got the ox cart, Xiaosi and Yun’er can go together to the market tomorrow.”
Yan Xiaosi planned to go to Daxing Town to have a look, hoping that there might be an opportunity to make money there.
While she was thinking about it, Ms. Zhong handed her a bowl of rice.
“Eat quickly, I’ve asked your big sister to serve Mr. Longi’s dinner.”
Having just eaten two big bowls of rice and a lot of meat at Tian Dazhuang’s house, Yan Xiaosi’s body, no matter how malnourished, couldn’t fit any more food at the moment.
“Mom, sisters, you all eat. I’m already full. I’ll go and serve dinner to Brother Long.”
Ms. Zhong looked at her in amazement, “You’ve eaten? Xiaosi, where did you eat?”
As Yan Xiaosi shared her portion of dinner with her sisters, she answered Ms. Zhong, “I ate at Dazhuang’s house. They had fried meat tonight. I’m very full.”
Hearing this, Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun all wore expressions as if they had seen a ghost.
Mrs. Wang was known to be very stingy. It was unbelievable that she would invite Xiaosi for dinner. It was as if the sun had risen from the west.
Ms. Zhong, somewhat skeptical, asked, “Xiaosi, are you really full?”
Yan Xiaosi patted her finally bulging belly, “Mom, I’m really full. Tonight, I ate two bowls of rice and half a bowl of meat at Dazhuang’s house, which made Aunt Tian’s eyes and nose crooked with anger.”
Watching Yan Xiaosi leaving to deliver dinner to Long Hao, Ms. Zhong sighed at her retreating figure, “This child is getting more and more mischievous.”
The room was dimly lit. Yan Xiaosi walked in with the food, vaguely seeing Long Hao sitting on the bed. She went to the bedside and handed the bowl to the silhouette.
“Brother Long, it’s time for dinner.”
Long Hao didn’t reach out to take the bowl but looked at her silently and asked, “Are you going to Daxing Town for the market tomorrow?”
Although he didn’t leave his room all day, he heard almost all the conversations between Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, and Yan Xiaosi.
Yan Xiaosi casually answered, “Yes, we’re going to the market tomorrow to sell some firewood in town.”
“Aren’t you hungry this late?”
Yan Xiaosi paused for a moment and then pushed the bowl towards Long Hao again.
Long Hao finally took the dinner.
After handing him the food, Yan Xiaosi turned around to leave. Long Hao glanced at her back and reminded her, “It’s not peaceful in Xize County right now. Be careful when you go to Daxing Town tomorrow.”
Even in a remote place like Shaoyao Village, there were Rongdi spies, let alone Daxing Town.
Yan Xiaosi was aware of this but was still grateful for Long Hao’s reminder. She stopped and turned to look at Long Hao, who was eating, “Do you need anything? I can buy it for you when I’m in Daxing Town.”
Without waiting for Long Hao’s answer, Yan Xiaosi continued, “Your robe is stained with blood and can’t be cleaned. It’s also torn. I’ll buy you a new one.”
If it weren’t for Long Hao’s intervention yesterday, Liu Qianhe and his daughter Liu Qianqian might have rushed into the ruined temple and discovered the dog skin. Yan Xiaosi wasn’t the kind of person who would forget a favor.
Yan Xiaosi’s words made Long Hao feel inexplicably warm. He raised his eyes and looked at her seriously through the dim light, “Aren’t you short of money?”
This kid’s family was so poor, and his mother and three sisters were all thin and pale, yet he was willing to buy clothes for him.
Yan Xiaosi looked at Long Hao’s figure and smiled nonchalantly, “Money is dead, people are alive. If the money’s gone, I can find ways to earn more. But if you go out wearing that robe and get recognized by a Rongdi spy, that would be troublesome.”
Long Hao looked at her and didn’t even realize a faint smile had appeared at the corner of his mouth.
