NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 35
Under the red hawkthorn tree.
The girl in coarse linen skirt climbed onto the chair and tied a red string to the tree branch.
She offered the beloved red string that Eldest Brother had given her.
Tiptoeing and craning her neck, she carefully hung it on the tree.
The red string fluttered in the wind.
After tying the red string, the girl stood under the tree and sincerely paid her respects.
She mumbled: “Bless Tree Fairy to grow taller and thicker, and bear more and abundant fruits.”
Jiang Mianmian lay bemused in the wooden basin, wondering if she should pay her respects too.
However, her little fists were hard, easily spread apart like Ultraman’s, but bringing them together seemed rather difficult.
She was like a fierce little Tyrannosaurus now, even with 100% bare hand combat skills, she could not use them...her hands were too short to close together!!
She could only wave her arms to cheer Big Sister on.
After paying respects, Jiang Yu happily picked all the red bubbles in the basin and put them in a bowl.
What a big bowl.
While picking, Jiang Yu accidentally burst a few bubbles. Burst bubbles could not be contained, so she had no choice but to pop them into her mouth.
Mumbling to herself: “Tree Fairy, please bestow a little more fruits.”
Jiang Mianmian: ...
Should she rename her little ant Jiang Little Tree?
Jiang Yu picked the biggest red bubble, gently bit into it. Indeed very sweet. Then she broke it open to check for worms before feeding the other half to her sister.
Seeing Little Sister eat earnestly, it must be super sweet. Little Sister grinned happily.
She could not resist but tasted another one herself.
She would eat ten while Little Sister had one.
While eating, Jiang Yu confessed guiltily, “Eldest Brother does not like to eat these, Father also does not like to eat, Mother does not like to eat either. I have no choice but to share them with my little sister. By sharing with my sister, it does not count as eating alone.”
"Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling..."
A crisp ringing suddenly sounded from the village.
Jiang Yu's eyes widened.
"The Tree Fairy is indeed divine. Little Peddler is here!"
Then Jiang Mianmian found herself lifted by Big Sister, legs pried open...
"Psshh, pee pee..."
Ashamed but cooperative, Jiang Mianmian peed.
She understood the urgency her Big Sister felt to pee first before going out to play.
When she interned at the hospital, the first thing she did before meeting the attending physician was to find the toilet...she felt much less nervous after peeing.
Had to visit the toilet first before seeing patients.
God knows, she, a medical intern, was more afraid than the patients themselves during ward rounds!
In retrospect, the toilet initiated every important moment in her life...
Such is life, bittersweet.
After helping her sister pee, Jiang Yu wrapped up the diaper, carried her on her back, then returned home to retrieve a small wooden box hidden under the bed which contained a few copper coins in a cloth pouch. She took the coins and hid them on herself.
Jiang Mianmian learned another one of Big Sister’s money-hiding spots.
When she is grown up, would Big Sister cry if she replaced the copper coins with rocks?
Jiang Mianmian felt her train of thoughts seemed off. Why would she even entertain such ideas?
Jiang Yu took the money, strapped on Little Sister, and headed excitedly to the village center in new embroidered shoes.
Just before leaving, she suddenly needed to pee again...she put Little Sister back in the basin and dashed to the toilet.
Jiang Mianmian: ...how alike Big Sister is.
Lying in the wooden basin, Jiang Mianmian spotted Little Ant probing its head out, seemingly upset that the red bubbles were taken away by Big Sister just now.
Jiang Mianmian tentatively touched Little Ant's head with her finger: want to go out and play together? But you cannot crawl on me, I'm afraid of that.
She felt it was quite a mouthful of words for her. Unsure if Little Fellow could understand all that. By the time Big Sister came to carry her, she saw Little Ant had hopped onto Big Sister’s new embroidered shoe.
Jiang Mianmian was strapped onto Big Sister’s back.
Bottom padded, calves dangling.
It was exceptionally bustling under the big tree at the village entrance today.
Following Big Sister, Jiang Mianmian squeezed into the crowd and saw Little Peddler surrounded by everyone.
She had imagined Little Peddler to be a young peddler, but to her surprise, the little peddler turned out to be a dwarf.
Very short stature, huge head, long hands, a very muscular dwarf.
Beside him was a tall cupboard and a basket. His hands busied non-stop placing things from the basket onto the cupboard.
The silk flowers were especially popular among the maidens and young daughters-in-law.
To Jiang Mianmian, those silk flowers looked similar to cheap plastic flowers. Given no plastic exists now, those bright and vivid colors must not have been easy to produce.
Each silk flower cost ten copper coins. Jiang Mianmian overheard people asking around. Clearly Big Sister’s coins were insufficient.
She had seen Big Sister counting just eight coins earlier.
“Little Peddler, could you give us a better price? Eight copper coins for all of us to buy some flowers together? The more the merrier!” a blushing young wife asked.
Little Peddler shook his head vigorously: “I’m afraid not. It costs eight copper coins to make each flower. The remaining two coins barely cover my travel expenses for food and lodging. For purchases of ten or more flowers, nine copper coins is the lowest I can go.”
Jiang Mianmian observed as the commotion unfolded.
Big Sister touched the silk flowers then withdrew her hand.
She went on to check out other things.
Just then, Cui showed up.
Cui had taken leave to come. Apparently she was faring rather well at Landlord Liu’s household.
Cui muscled her way through the crowd and exclaimed loudly, “Little Peddler, did you bring the hairpin I asked you to get for me last time?”
Little Peddler looked up at Cui and laughed, “Young Miss Cui, you can rest assured that I remember everything you ask of me. But that hairpin is too valuable, I was afraid of losing it, so I left it at the inn in the county town. After I'm done selling my wares here, you can come with me to retrieve it, or send someone to accompany me.”
"Cui, buying yet another hairpin! Amongst our village, only your family leads such a good life!”
“Cui, when will we eat candy at your wedding banquet?”
“Cui, your mother Er Wu used to be famously frugal. A vegetable leaf had to be split over three meals. Who would have expected she allowed you to be so extravagant!”
Perched on Big Sister’s back, Jiang Mianmian was unexpectedly sprayed by...spittle from the chatter!...
Spittle can literally kill...not just a figure of speech.
These loud talkers truly spit everywhere as they spoke.
She shrank back in fright, burying her head quickly.
Even thick-skinned Cui could not stand so much spittle. She tugged Jiang Yu and asked, "What are you buying? Got everything?"
Jiang Yu looked around sheepishly and asked, “Uncle Peddler, do you have that white candy you brought last time?”
Little Peddler glanced up at Jiang Yu, smiling even wider. His big hand patted his huge head, “What a pity, I left that entire bag of candy at the inn too. Too many things to carry, I really cannot manage it all on my back. But I’ve brought peach candy this time.”
Having said that, Little Peddler busied himself with the other young wives and grannies again.
He cracked jokes and shared gossip from outside, eliciting laughter and gasps from the crowd. Even those not buying loitered around just to watch the spectacle.
After all, purchasing power in the village was limited. Most were just poor villagers here to see something novel and lively. The few with money were the likes of Landlord Liu’s family. They procured goods directly from the county town or prefecture instead.
Soon, Little Peddler packed up his cupboard and basket, ready to leave.
At the side, Cui tugged and persuaded Jiang Yu, “Come with me to collect the hairpin. You can borrow it to wear for half a day after I get it.”
Jiang Yu declined, “I can’t go. I need to mind my little sister.”
“Don’t you want to buy candy too?”
Jiang Yu swallowed her saliva and shook her head. “I’ve only got four copper coins. Can't buy much.”
She actually had eight coins, teehee.
Seeing that Little Peddler had already hoisted his load and about to depart, Cui stamped her feet, “I’ll treat you to meat buns at the county town, we can split one bun.”
Jiang Yu wiped her mouth and said, “Let’s go. I don't care for meat buns actually. I just want to keep you company.”
Cui rolled her eyes at her.
The two scurried to catch up, bickering as they went.
Jiang Mianmian felt something was not right, but the villagers seemed to think everything was normal. Some people had gone with the little peddler to fetch things before, and everyone was quite familiar with him.
Maybe she was overthinking things.
Once they left the village, the path narrowed, but not extremely so. A cart could still get through, and three people could walk abreast, albeit a bit squeezed together.
Jiang Mianmian curiously looked left and right.
On both sides there were dense woods, which were a bit frightening.
Suddenly, a mountain hawk-owl was startled from the woods. Its wings flapped noisily as it flew over their heads, like a dark cloud scudding past.
The mountain hawk-owl's cries were sharp and urgent...
"Screech! Screech!"
"Flap! Flap!"