When she got home, Xiang Jie was still in the yard picking up broken tiles.
Some weeds had grown in the yard, and more insects and butterflies had appeared.
She crouched down and even caught a grasshopper for the little chickens to eat, playing alone contentedly.
Shen Miao touched the earthen kiln near the stove, and it was almost 50-60% dry.
Luckily, the past few days had been sunny, so the drying had gone relatively fast.
If it had rained, she would have had to wrap it in an oil cloth, which would have delayed things further.
She stood up and glanced at Xiang Jie again to see what she was doing.
The child had become quite attached to the three little chickens.
In her hand was a half-dead grasshopper that she was feeding to the white rooster.
The other two chickens naturally wanted some too, but the white rooster was smart—it stretched its neck, grabbed the grasshopper, and ran off, with the other two chickens flapping their wings in pursuit.
The three little chickens were chasing each other around the yard, and Xiang Jie was running after their little behinds, trying to mediate.
She said seriously, “Don’t fight! You’ll lose all your feathers! Wait, I’ll catch more later! I’m sure there are more!”
Shen Miao couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.
Seeing her happy and content, Shen Miao felt relieved and entered the stove room.
She checked the sky, estimated the time, and decided it was the perfect moment to make a batch of completely vegetarian red bean paste bun.
She should be able to get it delivered to the West Bell and Drum Tower Alley near Daxiangguo Temple in time.
The address the servant from the Xie family had left wasn’t far from here.
She rolled up her sleeves, soaked the beans, and began kneading the dough.
Outside the window, Xiang Jie had brought the little chickens back and lined them up.
She was mimicking Ji Ge, walking with a serious face as she “lectured” the three fluffy little chickens, giving them a stern lesson.
But as soon as she began her speech, the little chickens scattered in all directions, turning Xiang Jie’s serious lesson into a solo act.
The smoke from the Shen household’s stove rose in the air, white and slow, dissipating gently.
Today, it just so happened that Shen Gao Dou and his wife were bringing their son, Hai Ge’er, into the inner city to collect rent.
They had a small shop in the inner city, not far from Shen Miao’s house.
It was located across from the Wei family’s snack shop, just north of Jinliang Bridge.
They had rented it out to a fabric merchant from the south who sold fashionable new fabrics.
Shen Gao Dou was sitting on the cart, pulling it for his wife.
Because of his size, the cart was leaning to one side.
The whole family of three was quite plump, and the old donkey pulling them was panting heavily, its eyes nearly glazed over from exhaustion.
Ding Shi, sitting beside him, was scolding, “Once we collect the rent, we’ll go back. Don’t go see those three troublemaking children your brother left behind. Don’t think I don’t know. A few days ago, Shen Miao brought them here, and you even gave her two taels of money, didn’t you!”
Shen Gao Dou hadn’t expected that his actions had already been discovered, so he could only force a smile.
“After all, they’re my brother’s children. We didn’t take them in, and that’s already a mistake. You don’t know how bad the neighbors are talking about us. I gave them some money to shut their mouths.”
Ding Shi was upset about the two taels of silver and huffed, “If Shen Miao is back, she should take care of Ji Ge and Xiang Jie. The eldest sister is like a mother. If it came to the magistrate, I’d be justified.”
However, since Shen Gao Dou had already given the money, Ding Shi didn’t press the issue.
She just didn’t want Shen Gao Dou to get involved with them anymore.
Shen Gao Dou’s eldest sister had been living in Jinling for three years, and it seemed she had learned how to talk him around—she could get Shen Gao Dou to do anything.
Ding Shi worried that if Shen Gao Dou went to see them, he would spend even more money to help them, and that would turn into an endless pit.
Even though it was wrong for the uncle to neglect his nieces and nephews, he couldn’t take care of them forever, could he?
They weren’t living on the emperor’s money—who had money just falling from the sky?
Ding Shi had married off three daughters, each with a dowry of 100 taels.
That money had nearly emptied out their household.
She still needed to save for Hai Ge’er’s wedding.
Marrying daughters cost silver, and so did marrying sons.
She was a shrewd woman and didn’t want to waste too much on someone else’s children.
Hai Ge’er, sitting on the other side of the cart, was munching on a greasy chicken leg.
Hearing Ding Shi’s complaints about Ji Ge and the others, he felt a sharp pain in his cheek, which had only recently recovered.
His chubby face squinted as he thought about the past quarrels.
Hai Ge’er always felt he wasn’t wrong, but Ji Ge had worked for them, chopping firewood and fetching water, while Ding Shi had treated him like a servant, never mentioning their parents or sister’s tragic death.
Shen Er and his wife were killed in the street by some powerful officials in Bianjing, making headlines, but in the end, two lives were gone just like that—silent and forgotten, leaving only regret.
At school, some classmates would gossip about his parents’ case being buried, and someone once wondered, “Doesn’t he have a sister? I heard she married a promising scholar.
Why didn’t she come back to take them to the south to live? Why is it that she doesn’t take them in, but leaves them at your place…”
Hearing Ding Shi complain several times, Hai Ge’er blurted out, “What else could it be? Ji Ge always looks like a dead fish, never says a word, who would want to take care of him?
His sister must hate him, which is why she left him at our house and disappeared! Jinling is so prosperous, and it’s the land of fish and rice. Who would still remember him?”
The classmates burst into laughter, “Dead fish face, it’s rough but accurate!”
“If I were his sister, I wouldn’t want to bring two burdens to my husband’s family either. Who knows what they’d say?”
Hai Ge’er laughed loudly and continued, “My mom says his sister has always been a soft pushover. If anyone said anything harsh, she’d cry. She’s useless!
When something happens, she doesn’t stand up and fight. She just hides like a turtle and cries. A pile of mud that can’t be supported, it’s so embarrassing! My four sisters should never act like her…”
Just as he finished speaking, Ji Ge, who had overheard this, swung a punch right at him.
The punch hit him so hard he saw stars, and before he could make a sound, another punch followed.
The boy was pinned under Ji Ge’s body, who grabbed his collar tightly.
His eyes were icy, and he angrily shouted, “Dare to insult my parents or my sister again! I’ll kill you!”
Hai Ge’er, in pain and fear, cried out, “Didn’t you hate your sister too? I heard Xiang Jie crying, wanting to find your sister, but you told her angrily not to mention her! You hate her, so why hit me? What did I say wrong?”
The only response to his words was Ji Ge’s heavy, angry breathing, followed by another punch.
The classmates who tried to break up the fight were also struck.
In the end, everything turned chaotic, and when Liu Fuzi arrived, his beard practically stood on end from anger.
After hearing what had happened, he immediately kicked Ji Ge out of the room.
Later, when Hai Ge’er’s mother saw his bruised face, she didn’t take it lightly.
She immediately grabbed a broom and angrily scolded and hit Ji Ge, throwing him and the sobbing Xiang Jie out of the house.
Ji Ge, with blood at the corner of his mouth, didn’t look back, nor did he beg for mercy.
Instead, he tightly grasped Xiang Jie’s hand and walked step by step into the heavy rain.
Soon, they were out of sight.
After that day, Hai Ge’er never saw them again.
That day, when he heard that Ji Ge’s sister had returned and brought him along, Hai Ge’er was outside playing.
The two punches he had received weren’t serious—just flesh wounds.
They turned purple and swollen for a few days but didn’t stop him from going out to play.
But when he returned, Ji Ge, Xiang Jie, and their sister had already left, and he didn’t get to see them.
When Uncle Shen Er and Aunt Er were still around, Hai Ge’er had seen Ji Ge’s sister during the holidays.
Ji Ge’s sister was the most beautiful of all the Shen girls—beautiful like a budding flower.
But she always kept her head lowered and spoke shyly while twisting her handkerchief.
His mother, Ding Shi, never thought much of her, and whenever she mentioned her, it was always with disdain, saying she was too delicate.
But when she came with Ji Ge and Xiang Jie that day, although Ding Shi was angry and argued with Shen Miao for a while, she eventually calmed down and even scoffed, saying to Shen Dajie.
“It seems your eldest daughter has finally grown up and is starting to act like an older sister.”
Hai Ge’er didn’t understand what his mother meant.
Anyway, he didn’t want to be around Ji Ge anymore—Ji Ge’s punches were too painful!
Besides… he thought, Ji Ge just hit people after a few words.
His father always said that, although they were young, they were still scholars.
How could they be so rude?
Shouldn’t they use words to argue instead?
He shook his head, took another large bite of chicken leg, and before he could swallow, another thought came to him.
He turned to Ding Shi and said, “Mother, Xiao Dou next door said there’s a new pancake seller on Jinliang Bridge. She makes delicious pancakes, and their family bought some once—it was so fragrant! Should we go take a look and buy a few?”
Shen Dajie’s eyes lit up.
“Oh? A pancake seller? She must be very beautiful, right?”
Ding Shi frowned, then raised her hand, giving both Shen Gao Dou and Hai Ge’er a slap, saying, “We’re here for business, and all you two think about is eating! As for the pancake seller, what does it matter? Do you want to go see her too?”
“I don’t want to see her, I don’t want to see her, there’s nothing to see!”
Shen Gao Dou immediately waved his hand, his back covered in a cold sweat.
He quickly changed his tune, “We should use this time to collect the rent and buy some good fabric for clothing. The fabric shop owner said they’re getting some cloud gauze next month!”
Hai Ge’er quickly covered his face and didn’t dare speak.
Ding Shi’s expression softened a little.
The three of them continued on their way to Jinliang Bridge.
As they crossed the bridge, Hai Ge’er and Shen Gao Dou secretly glanced around but didn’t see any pancake seller.
When they reached the middle of the bridge, they passed by a shop selling fragrant drinks and overheard a man leading a donkey, asking the chubby woman, “Where is the pancake seller?”
“She’s sold out! She’s gone home!”
“It’s only after noon, why is she closing up?”
“Of course, she’s beautiful, and makes pancakes so well! Many men, like you, come just to see her. Plus, it’s already noon. She sold out before the morning market even ended! Don’t worry, she’ll be back tomorrow before dawn, so come early!”
The man, embarrassed by the teasing, hurriedly led his donkey away.
Hai Ge’er clearly heard this and, disappointed, turned back.
The pancake seller had already sold out.
Why didn’t she make more?
“That’s the owner of Wei Family’s snack shop, right?”
Ding Shi recognized the man who had asked about the pancakes and said, “Looks like the pancake seller’s skills are really good if even the Wei shop owner is buying from her!”
Ding Shi was known for her cooking skills, able to burn through a pot so quickly that the bottom of the pot was often charred.
Because her family often ate out, she kept an ear open for any new delicacies around, especially if they hadn’t tried them yet.
“Too bad we came late, otherwise we could have bought a few to try,” Shen Gao Dou said as he cracked the whip, slowly guiding the cart across the bridge.