Chapter 24: Are you out of your mind, daughter?

Chapter 24: Are you dazed, daughter?

Aside from these, there was actually quite a lot left in the basket.

Two pig trotters, one pig tail, a jin of millet, and in addition to the enamel mug, there were actually two white towels.

Both the enamel mug and the towels were printed with the words "Serve the People." Shuyue estimated that this might truly be a reward.

"Are you dazed, daughter?"

Seeing the little girl staring blankly without moving, Bai Lie stuffed a piece of rice cake into Shuyue's hand. "Quick, take a few bites. We still have to go up ahead."

"Oh, oh..." She was just too excited and hadn't snapped out of it yet.

Holding the rice cake, Shuyue peeled back the greaseproof paper and took a bite. The rice cake was still warm; one bite was soft and chewy, slightly sweet with the aroma of red beans and dates.

Bai Lie stuffed all the items he had taken out into the compartments of the kang cabinet Shuyue was currently using. "Didn't you want to keep dried sweet potatoes in the cabinet to eat? I'll leave all of these here for you to eat slowly."

As he spoke, Bai Lie pulled a handful of money and coupons from his pocket. "I didn't count how much is left, so I'll leave them here for now. We'll deal with them when we get back."

"Mhm!"

By now, Bai Lie had already pulled a pile of wheat straw from the basket behind the door and padded the bottom of the back basket with it, arranging the pig trotters, pig tail, enamel mug, and towels on top of the straw.

Taking advantage of the moment Bai Lie was bent over, Shuyue tore off a large piece of rice cake and fed it to him. He had only eaten a cold sweet potato this morning, and she didn't know if he had eaten anything since; it was already almost noon.

Once she snapped out of it, she saw the organized basket. Compared to when they had just carried it back, it really didn't look any different.

Previously, it seemed as though these few items were just laid on top, all in roughly the same position.

Surprised, her gaze toward Bai Lie betrayed her thoughts.

"If I hadn't done it this way, Dad wouldn't have been able to bring back so much!"

Bai Lie wiped his hands, chewed the rice cake his daughter gave him, and turned to fish a lock out of the large wardrobe. He locked the kang cabinet and explained, "I bought it last time, intending for you to use it." It really was from last time.

He had even specially threaded the red string onto the key, but before he could do anything with it, something had happened.

Bai Lie hung the key around Shuyue's neck. "Do you know how to use a key? If not, Daddy will teach you when he gets back."

Shuyue gave a muffled response and pushed the rice cake in her hand toward Bai Lie's mouth again.

She felt a bit guilty!

The question arose again.

Should a four-and-a-half-year-old child know how to pick a lock?

She seemed to have already opened the lock on the door of this room several times. How embarrassing.

Bai Lie was charmed by the sight of his daughter holding her hand up to feed him. He could never have imagined her feeling guilty; he simply took a bite. "We have to go now. We'll eat more when we return."

"Mhm, mhm," Shuyue responded to everything.

When Bai Lie carried Shuyue through the main gate into the courtyard, the capable Er Ya had already started the fire. The pot was scrubbed clean and filled with some water.

Before long, Er Ya poked her head out several times until she finally spotted Bai Lie and Shuyue—or more accurately, the basket filled with meat being brought back—and rubbed her small hands together in excitement.

Without a word, Bai Lie set Shuyue down and briskly washed the pig trotters and pig tail, cutting them into pieces and putting them into the pot.

Er Ya's dark, yellowish face was flushed red by the glow of the fire in the stove.

Er Ya was very excited. Every once in a while, the family might stir-fry a few slices of cured meat, but those slices never ever made it to her mouth. The last time she had eaten meat was during the New Year pig slaughter!

(End of Chapter)