There was a large round hole specifically left on the cart board, and a load-bearing crossbar underneath, allowing a small clay stove and pancake pan to be embedded inside.
There was also space for storage on the side.
There was a hook on the cart handle, and Shen Miao hung a handled wicker basket, lined with oil paper, to hold eggshells.
Shen Miao placed a deep wicker basket on the crossbar under the cart board, lined with a little wheat straw dog pad that she had woven herself.
Under the dog pad was her money box, and naturally, the little dog’s bottom was on top of it.
She placed the little dog and this basket next to the pancake stove.
This morning, the weather was still a bit cool, so the dog wouldn’t be afraid of the wind or cold when it went out with her.
The little dog was very well-behaved when she bought it, not barking or urinating indiscriminately.
Shen Miao taught it a few times to urinate in the ditch, and it quickly remembered. Xiang Jie’er and Ji Ge’er both liked it very much.
When Ji Ge’er was studying and writing characters, it would quietly lie at his feet without making a fuss; when Xiang Jie’er took it to play in the yard, the two of them could play hide-and-seek and get all sweaty.
Xiang Jie’er had a new playmate and finally stopped bothering the three little chicks.
She had previously given names to the three chickens, but Shen Miao had forgotten what they were called, except for the one with the most fluff and the roundest frame, a three-yellow pullet named Rong Rong.
Now Xiang Jie’er had transferred her affection and no longer favored the white little rooster.
She once said indignantly, “The white chick always flies around and pecks at people. I don’t like it anymore.Rong Rong is better; she listens to me and doesn’t run around.”
She would often let Rong Rong perch on her head or shoulder to sleep, proudly calling her “Rong Rong is my best friend.”
Now that she had a little dog, Xiang Jie’er no longer held daily meetings with the chickens, and Shen Miao and the chickens all breathed a sigh of relief.
Now she wouldn’t doze off after eating when she followed her to the stall.
Shen Miao set up the cart, and Xiang Jie’er had already lifted the curtain covering the cart body, half of her body inside, playing with the dog.
The little dog hadn’t been named yet.
Shen Miao really didn’t know how to name it.
The best she could think of were names like Big Yellow, Lucky, or Wang Wang, all of which seemed a bit too common, so she decided to think about it for a few more days before making a decision.
Miss Mi had arrived even earlier.
She had already set up her stall and was intently carving a wooden hairpin in her hands.
Seeing Shen Miao come, she took a break to look up and smiled at her, “Good morning, Mrs. Shen.”
“Good morning, Xiao Mi.”
At that moment, she noticed Shen Miao had changed her food cart, and there seemed to be something inside it that was gurgling.
Curious, she turned her head to look, only to see Xiang Jie’er’s bottom sticking out.
Upon closer inspection, she saw a two-month-old yellow and white puppy hidden inside.
“Mrs. Shen, you really have your hands full,” Mei San Niang also noticed and covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.”
“Your family is really growing larger and larger.”
Shen Miao, standing by the stove, smiled helplessly, “I originally planned to buy a big dog to guard the house, but yesterday at the market, I didn’t find a suitable one”.
“Instead, I ended up with this little puppy. Its teeth haven’t even grown in yet—how is it supposed to guard the house? I’m really regretting it and can only wait for it to grow up. But perhaps this is just fate”.
“I visited so many cat and dog stalls, and it was only when I saw this little puppy that my heart was moved.”
“No problem, a dog raised from a young age will be more affectionate and protective,” Mei San Niang waved her hand nonchalantly.
At that moment, someone cautiously asked,
“Mrs. Shen, are you looking for a big dog to guard your home?”
An elderly woman waiting to buy some cakes overheard their conversation and said,
“I have a fierce old dog at home. I’ve had it for eight years. A few years ago, a thief tried to climb over the wall, and this dog attacked him so fiercely that the thief almost died. If Mrs. Shen needs it, I’m willing to give it to her.”
This elderly woman, surnamed Wu, came to buy cakes every few days with her granddaughter, Xiang Guo’er.
Shen Miao had come to recognize her.
Her granddaughter, Xiang Guo’er, had a poor appetite and was a real picky eater.
No matter how many hawthorn pills she took, they didn’t help.
Often, after working hard to prepare a meal, it was a favor if Xiang Guo’er would eat a few bites.
But she loved Shen Miao’s cakes, so every time Wu Dama would chase her granddaughter for miles with a bowl, and the child wouldn’t eat, she would come to buy a few cakes and some red bean pastries to coax her:
“If Xiang Guo’er eats her meal properly, I’ll take you to buy Mrs. Shen’s cakes and buns.”
As Shen Miao was packing the cakes into an oil paper bag for her, she asked in confusion,
“You’ve had this dog for so many years, and it’s so intelligent. Why would you want to give it away? Wouldn’t it be better to keep it?”
Wu Dama looked sorrowful and sighed,
“It’s a long story… Leiting, that’s the name of my old dog, is very protective and looks very majestic and strong.”
The old woman pointed to the child clinging to her leg, tears streaming down her face,
“One day, when Xiang Guo’er was bullied by other children in the alley, it heard her crying, broke free from its leash, leaped over the wall, and fiercely barked at the bullies, knocking them down”.
“It didn’t bite anyone, but one of the children hit their head on the ground and started bleeding profusely. My legs are not very agile, and I couldn’t stop it in time! Later, I took the child to the clinic, and they managed to stop the bleeding”.
“Fortunately, nothing serious happened. The child was treated and after half a month, the wound on the back of their head scabbed over and healed”.
“But the child’s parents, no matter how much we apologized or even after accepting the ten guan in compensation, still demanded that we kill the dog and eat its meat to vent their anger, or else they would report it to the authorities to have the dog beaten to death.”
Shen Miao was silent.
There was really no solution to such a situation.
“With their large family constantly causing a fuss at our door, my son and I were at our wits’ end. We originally thought of sending Leiting to live with our relatives in the countryside and then using some other kind of meat to deceive them”.
“But even our relatives were afraid of a dog that had hurt someone before. However… it’s truly a good dog. It wouldn’t hurt people under normal circumstances.”
Wu Dama wiped away her tears and sighed,
“So when I heard that Mrs. Shen was looking for a dog, I was desperate and thought I’d ask. I know Mrs. Shen has two children at home, and they might also be afraid of a dog that could go mad… Just forget what I said.”
Wu Dama took the cakes, shook her head, and sadly led Xiang Guo’er away.
As soon as she turned her back, Xiang Guo’er clutched Wu Dama’s sleeve and tearfully pleaded with her grandmother,
“Grandma, please don’t kill Leiting, okay? Leiting is a good dog…”
But all she received in response were Wu Dama’s repeated sighs.
Shen Miao had a sudden thought and called out to them: “Madam, wait.”
She originally hadn’t agreed because she felt that a dog like Leiting, as described by the old woman, would probably only recognize one master in its lifetime.
Even if it was given to her, she might not be able to keep it.
But after hearing the story, if Leiting was really killed and eaten, she would feel uneasy.
“Later, when you have time, bring Leiting to my house and let me take a look. I’ll decide after that,” Shen Miao finally said.
Even though it wasn’t a definite promise, it was enough to make Wu Dama’s eyes well up with tears:
“Ah, ah! Mrs. Shen, I really don’t know how to thank you…”
Shen Miao shook her head, “I’m just taking a look. I might not be able to help.”
“You having this thought means Leiting has a glimmer of hope to survive,”
Wu Dama was extremely grateful and quickly led Xiang Guo’er back home.
After they left, Mei San Niang came over and whispered to Shen Miao,
“Are you really going to take such a dog? Although it doesn’t cost any money, I estimate it will run back home after a few days. It won’t get used to you.”
Mi Xiaoniang blew away some wood shavings and also nodded slightly:
“The dog at my house, even if sent to the countryside, can find its way back by itself.”
Shen Miao was reminded of the dog from her grandfather’s house.
In her previous life, her family had adopted a retired police dog named Jifeng, which was also very majestic.
It had participated in flood rescue operations and got injured in the leg, so it retired.
When she was a child, no one dared to bully her because Jifeng would always protect her.
Jifeng would carry her school bag for her and even check the clock to calculate the time to wait for her at the school gate after school.
No matter the weather, he was always there.
At any time, if she called out loudly, he would rush to her side like a god descending from the heavens.
Later, when Jifeng grew old and passed away, her grandfather reported to the police dog base and, with their permission, found a pet burial service.
In the end, Jifeng’s ashes were buried under the osmanthus tree in the courtyard of their old home, where he used to like to lie down and sleep.
She whispered, “Let’s just take a look first, let’s just take a look.”
After this little episode, another customer arrived, and Shen Miao gathered her thoughts and continued her work.
As the weather gradually warmed up, the sun also rose earlier.
Xie Zhao, with dazed eyes, walked out.
He had stayed in the entertainment quarters of Zhulian Alley for three or four days.
If he didn’t go home soon, his mother would probably beat him into minced meat with a family stick.
This morning, he prepared to head back home.
But after a night of drinking and flowers, his legs felt like they were walking on cotton.
He stumbled and had to be supported by his servants on either side.
He struggled to walk halfway when his numbed brain finally came to its senses, and he asked his attendant in a daze,
“…Where is my carriage? Why didn’t Old Zhou come to pick me up?”
The attendant replied with a forced smile,
“The matriarch is preparing a banquet, and all the family carriages have been called back. Some are sent out of the city to buy supplies, some to deliver invitations to various households, and others to send messages to relatives in Chenzhou and Cai Zhou”.
“There are no carriages available. Even when the ninth young master went to school a few days ago, he only had a donkey carrying his bedding and had to walk the rest of the way.”
Xie Zhao was stunned: “This… Mother’s heart is really too cruel.”
He had been indulging in pleasure for such a long time, and instead of sending someone to look for him, his mother had even taken away the carriages!
“Third young master, don’t be afraid. The matriarch has already said that you can drink as long as you want. Even if you drink yourself to death, she won’t bother with you.”
Xie Zhao rubbed his aching forehead, feeling a mix of emotions.
Finally, he slowly leaned on his attendant’s shoulder and sighed,
“Then let’s go… Hey, when we get to the bridge, buy a cup of sobering Erchen soup first, otherwise I won’t be able to make it back.”
With great effort, he finally made it to Auntie Pang’s fragrant drinks stall.
Xie Zhao, exhausted, plopped down onto a small bamboo stool by the stall, fanning himself with his sleeve.
However, he was drawn by a familiar aroma and turned his head to see: “Oh, the beauty of making the pancakes”.
It had been over ten days since they last met, and the beauty had become even more stunning.
The first time he saw her, she looked somewhat pale and haggard, beautiful but with a lingering illness that made her seem tired.
Now, it seemed her spirits had improved, her complexion was rosy, her eyes were lively, and her every smile and frown were truly captivating.
She attracted the customers buying pancakes, and eight out of ten left with blushing faces.
“Mo Chi, go buy a pancake too,” Xie Zhao, sipping his Erchen soup, ordered his servant.
Although he was quite drunk, the aroma of the pancakes awakened his appetite, reminding him of the delicious taste he had enjoyed half a month ago.
Soon the pancake arrived.
Xie Zhao drank his tea soup with the pancake, enjoying the breeze on the bridge.
Suddenly, he felt his chest broaden and his mood lighten.