sjar Chapter 17 Eating and Buying Food
Chapter 17 Eating and Buying Food
Lu Qingqing carried a basket on her back and led Shitou along the bustling street.
His face beamed with undisguised joy.
She was secretly thinking to herself:
"Oh my goodness, I never imagined that in ancient times, a jin would be sixteen liang!"
I was so naive to think that a jin (斤) was ten liang (两) like it is today!
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but slap her forehead.
"Thank goodness, by some twist of fate, we actually made over seven hundred coins!"
Lu Qingqing spotted a steaming wonton shop ahead.
There was also a steamed bun stall nearby, its aroma filling the air.
She glanced at the stone, thinking that the child must be starving.
Lu Qingqing said to Shitou, "Shitou, are you hungry? Come on, Mom will buy you some wontons!"
Upon hearing this, Stone was so surprised that his mouth gaped open and his eyes widened.
He began to have doubts:
"She actually bought me wontons?"
Although Shi Tou still couldn't quite believe that Lu Qingqing had really become so good,
But the rumbling sounds coming from his stomach made it impossible for him to refuse.
Stone blinked and said timidly, "Really? I... I can really eat wontons?"
Lu Qingqing looked at Shi Tou's cautious appearance.
A pang of sadness welled up in her heart. She gently pinched Shi Tou's cheek and said:
"Silly child, of course it's true! Mother keeps her word, you can eat your fill today!"
Upon hearing this, a bright smile instantly bloomed on Shi Tou's face.
Lu Qingqing took Shi Tou's hand and walked into the shop, saying as they went, "Shi Tou, let's hurry up, I'm hungry too."
Once inside the shop, Lu Qingqing plopped down on a stool.
"Boss, how much are the wontons?" Lu Qingqing asked.
"Eight coins a bowl, ma'am, how many bowls would you like?" the shopkeeper said.
"Two bowls will be fine with us," Lu Qingqing replied to the wonton shop owner.
"Alright, ma'am, please wait a moment, the wontons will be ready soon."
Then the boss responded.
The little stone head kept shaking back and forth.
His eyes were fixed on the freshly steamed bun next to him.
My mouth is watering.
Lu Qingqing couldn't help but laugh when she saw Shi Tou's greedy look.
She said, "Stone, you sit here and wait for the wontons. Mom will go buy some steamed buns over there."
As Lu Qingqing spoke, she got up and went to the steamed bun stall next door to buy steamed buns.
At the steamed bun stall, the steam rising from the steamer hit her face, carrying the aroma of steamed buns and meat.
"Boss, how much are the steamed buns?" Lu Qingqing asked.
"Meat buns are one coin each. How many would you like, madam?" the bun stall owner asked.
"Give me twenty steamed buns, five meat buns to eat right now, and please pack the other fifteen up!"
Lu Qingqing spoke to the steamed bun stall, her voice crisp and decisive.
The steamed bun stall owner, with a smile on his face, replied:
"Alright! Please wait a moment, Madam,"
The owner deftly opened the steamer.
An even thicker wave of heat rose up.
The plump, white buns were faintly visible in the mist.
Wrap your hands in a clean, damp cloth, and quickly take five buns out of the steamer and place them on a plate.
"Madam, please eat the five pieces on your plate now; I'll pack the rest for you separately."
As the owner spoke, he handed the plate to Lu Qingqing.
Then they put the meat buns one by one into the paper bag.
"Madam, here are fifteen meat buns for you. Please take them!"
The shopkeeper handed Lu Qingqing a paper bag full of meat buns.
Lu Qingqing placed twenty copper coins on the stall, then took the paper bag and turned to walk towards the stone.
Shi Tou watched the scene from afar, his eyes fixed on the meat bun in Lu Qingqing's hand.
Lu Qingqing walked to the table, took one first, and handed it to Shi Tou:
"Stone, are you starving? Here, have a meat bun to tide you over. The wontons will be ready soon."
Stone reached out his little hand, took the bun, and immediately stuffed it into his mouth.
Scalded and panting, yet still unwilling to let go.
Lu Qingqing said gently to the stone:
"Hey, Stone, eat slowly, don't burn yourself!"
Her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, and her eyes were full of doting affection.
The stone's mouth was stuffed full, just like a little hamster.
Hearing Lu Qingqing's words, he responded vaguely:
"Mmm, I know, these meat buns smell so good, they're so delicious!"
at this time,
The owner of the wonton shop walked over with a big, steaming bowl of wontons, beaming with joy.
He called out, "Here it comes! The delicious wontons are served!"
The aroma of the wontons instantly filled the air, wafting straight into people's noses.
The owner carefully placed the wontons on the table and said:
"Madam, please enjoy your meal."
Lu Qingqing smiled and thanked the shopkeeper, paying him sixteen coins.
She helped Shi Tou place the wontons in front of him and said with a smile:
"Stone, try these wontons."
Shi Tou looked at the wontons in front of him, then finished the last bite of the steamed bun in his hand.
I picked up the spoon and was ready to dig in.
Lu Qingqing hurriedly instructed him,
"Be careful, it's hot. Stir it with a spoon first, then blow on it."
Stone obediently did as he was told, gently stirring the wontons.
Then he carefully blew on it.
Only then did he put the spoon in his mouth.
Wow, this is delicious!
Stone's eyes lit up instantly, and a satisfied smile spread across his face.
Seeing Shi Tou's happy expression, Lu Qingqing felt especially happy.
She picked up her own spoon and began to taste the wontons.
With each bite of the wonton, the delicious flavor instantly spread throughout my mouth.
Lu Qingqing couldn't help but exclaim, "Mmm, it's really delicious!"
After finishing their wontons and meat buns, Lu Qingqing and the others patted their bellies contentedly.
Then, Lu Qingqing took Shitou's little hand and planned to go buy some food.
As I walked, I passed a stall selling candied hawthorns.
The strings of glistening, tempting red candied hawthorns instantly caught Lu Qingqing's eye.
She thought to herself that children would probably like this sweet and sour treat.
"Boss, how much are these candied hawthorns?"
Lu Qingqing asked with a smile.
"Three coins a string, madam," the shopkeeper replied warmly.
Without hesitation, Lu Qingqing took out nine coins from her pocket.
He said, "Give me three skewers."
The shop owner deftly took down three strings of candied hawthorns.
He put it in a paper bag and handed it to Lu Qingqing.
Lu Qingqing took the candied hawthorns and handed one skewer to Shi Tou first.
He said gently, "Stone, come and try some candied hawthorn."
Stone excitedly took the candied hawthorn, his eyes lighting up.
He said, "Thank you."
Lu Qingqing smiled and patted the stone's head.
Then he carefully wrapped the other two strings and said:
"Let's take these two skewers home for Shuang'er and the others to try."
After saying that, Lu Qingqing pulled Shi Tou along and continued walking towards the place where grain was sold.
The sunlight shone on them, casting warm shadows.
Lu Qingqing walked into a grain shop, looking around curiously.
The sacks in the shop were neatly stacked and filled with all kinds of grains.
Lu Qingqing walked to the counter, cleared her throat, and asked:
"Shopkeeper, how much are your rice, wheat flour, and cornmeal?"
The shopkeeper looked up, sized Lu Qingqing up and down, and said with a smile:
"Madam, our rice is fifteen coins a pound."
Wheat flour cost twelve coins a pound, while cornmeal was cheaper, at eight coins a pound.
Lu Qingqing silently calculated in her heart,
Then he said:
"Shopkeeper, give me twenty catties of rice, ten catties of wheat flour, and ten catties of cornmeal."
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper's face lit up with joy, and he quickly replied:
"Alright! Madam, please wait a moment, I'll weigh it for you right away."
After a while
The shopkeeper then bagged the weighed grain and placed it in front of Lu Qingqing.
Lu Qingqing paid the money and laboriously carried the grain.
Pretend to put it in the basket, then quickly close the lid.
Lu Qingqing originally wanted to buy some clothes for the children,
But I thought that would be too conspicuous, since we all live together now.
My mother-in-law and sister-in-law aren't good people either.
She looked down at the stone and solemnly instructed:
"Stone, remember this: don't tell anyone how much our herbs actually sold for."
Otherwise, if your aunt finds out, she'll definitely come and take it away.
Upon hearing this, Shi Tou immediately understood the implications and promptly said:
"Okay, I understand. Our family doesn't have any money at all."
The little head nodded vigorously, like someone pounding garlic, its eyes sparkling with intelligence.
Lu Qingqing patted the stone's head with satisfaction and said:
"Stone is such a good boy. Our money will be useful; we'll save it for your schooling later."
"Can we go to school?" Stone asked in surprise.
"Of course you have to go to school!"
Only by going to school can one understand principles, pass the imperial examinations, and become an official.
Only then can you do what you want to do and live the life you want to live.
Stone was deeply moved, for he had never imagined that his stepmother would send them to school.
Even among other families in the village, very few were willing to send their children to school.
Shi Tou held tightly to Lu Qingqing's clothes, and said, moved:
"I understand, I won't say anything, I won't say anything at all."
The mother and son understood each other perfectly, and carried the purchased food...
quickened their pace to get to the reserved place to board the oxcart.