Saying that, he skillfully began kicking the sandbag.
Tie Niu watched with itching curiosity and couldn’t wait to try it himself.
At first, he couldn’t control his strength well. Every time he kicked, he sent the sandbag flying far away, and he couldn’t catch it at all.
However, under Liu Qingyi’s patient guidance, he slowly figured out the trick and became more and more skilled.
The five children chased each other around, playing enthusiastically. They kept coming up with new variations—back kicks, front kicks, leg-stretch kicks… laughter echoed through the courtyard.
Because the roads were too muddy to go to town, they had no choice but to stay home and happily play for another day.
In the evening, Xiaoyu and Tie Niu went home holding their sandbags tightly, unable to put them down, full of joy.
As night fell, Liu Qingyan entered the space again. She had not come in for two days, and the wheat inside had grown much taller, lush and green.
She looked closely and noticed more weeds had sprouted, so she bent down and carefully began pulling them out.
After finishing, she walked briskly toward the pasture. What she saw made her cry out in surprise:
“Oh! The mother rabbit gave birth! Five baby rabbits at once—great! In a while, we’ll have rabbit meat to eat!
Next time I find rabbits, I must catch a few more live ones and put them in the space. Thinking about having so many rabbits in the future—able to sell them and eat them—it’s so exciting!”
After that, she practiced martial arts in the space for a while. When she grew tired, she lay down on the soft grass to rest.
When she had time, she would cut grass and expand the farmland, eagerly looking forward to unlocking more space functions. But for now, she decided not to think too much—she would simply enjoy a comfortable hot bath inside the space instead.
While she was lost in fantasies of her upgraded life, she suddenly heard Xiao Xin’s clear voice:
“Master, time’s up. You need to leave now.”
Only then did she reluctantly pull her thoughts back and step out of the space.
After breakfast, Liu Qingyan carefully packed two baskets of bean sprouts into bamboo baskets.
She instructed, “Qingyi, Qingyou, don’t go up the mountain today. The roads are still slippery. We’ll go tomorrow together. I’m going to town to sell the bean sprouts today. Be good at home.”
She slung two baskets over her arms, covering them with cloth and then placing dry straw on top, afraid others might see what was inside.
At the place where the ox cart was parked, there were only three passengers—very few people were traveling after the rain.
A woman curiously asked, “Qingyan, what are you carrying?”
“Aunt Qin, these are wild vegetables and medicinal herbs I dug up from the mountains. I’m taking them to town to sell for some money to buy food for the house.”
Everyone knew her situation, so they didn’t ask further. The road was quiet, with far fewer people than usual.
Soon she arrived in town and asked around, learning that there were two large restaurants: Fulai Restaurant and Hongyun Restaurant.
She first entered Fulai Restaurant.
The waiter, seeing she was just a poorly dressed little girl, immediately blocked the entrance like a guard dog.
With a face full of disdain, he shouted, “What are you doing here, little girl? This is a big restaurant! Look at yourself—can you even afford to eat here? Get lost!”
She frowned slightly but replied calmly and firmly, “I’m not here to eat. I’m looking for your manager.”
Soon, a slightly chubby middle-aged man came out. His belly protruded like it was filled with arrogance.
Impatiently, he asked, “Shunzi, where did this little girl come from? Chase her away. Don’t affect the customers’ appetite. Just looking at her makes people lose their appetite!”
“Yes, boss! Did you hear that? The boss told me to kick you out. Hurry up and leave!” the waiter said smugly.
A wave of disgust rose in her heart.
“If this is your service attitude, even if you begged me to come, I wouldn’t.”
She turned away and headed to Hongyun Restaurant instead.
At the entrance of Hongyun Restaurant, the waiter greeted her warmly with a smile.
“Oh? Little girl, are you here alone?”
“Yes, just me.”
Liu Qingyan was testing them. People often said a servant reflects the master. She wanted to see what kind of place this was.
The waiter showed no contempt for her plain clothing and still spoke politely.
“Miss, what would you like to eat? Our restaurant is a bit more expensive than street stalls.”
His words carried a gentle reminder, which she understood and appreciated.
“I’m not here to eat. I have something I’d like to discuss with your manager. Could you please help me pass the message?”
“What is it about? I can report it to the manager for you.”
“I have a new dish. I’d like to talk about a possible cooperation.”
“Oh, a new dish? Please wait a moment. I’ll go call the manager.”
Soon, the waiter came back with a middle-aged man in his forties.
He was slightly overweight, his belly already noticeable, his blue silk robe stretched tight like it might burst at any moment.
His round face carried a faint healthy glow, and his narrow eyes looked sharp and calculating, constantly flickering as if running quick mental calculations.
His eyebrows were not very thick but neatly slanted upward, giving him an energetic appearance.
A faint smile hung on his lips, making him seem both shrewd and approachable at the same time.
He smiled and said, “Little girl, I’m the manager here. I heard you were looking for me.”
“Hello, Uncle Manager. I have a small business proposal I’d like to discuss with you.”
The manager said warmly, “Alright, let’s go to a private room. It’s too noisy here to talk.”
He led the way inside with light, quick steps. Liu Qingyan followed calmly, carrying her two baskets.
In a quiet private room, the manager said kindly, “This place is quiet. Go ahead and speak.”
Liu Qingyan gently lifted the straw and cloth covering the basket, revealing the fresh bean sprouts inside.
In a clear voice, she asked, “Uncle Manager, do you recognize this?”
The manager leaned in curiously, puzzled. He scratched his head and said, “I consider myself fairly well-traveled, but I don’t recognize this. What is it?”
“This is a type of vegetable. When stir-fried, it’s crisp and delicious.”
“What is it called? Why have I never seen it before?”
“It’s called bean sprouts. Can I borrow your kitchen? After I cook it, you can taste it and you’ll understand its value.”
Hearing this, the manager felt it was harmless enough. He thought it wouldn’t hurt to let her try—if it really tasted good, the restaurant might gain a new signature dish.