In the end, the four of them went out together as a family.
Rarely, Xu Anyan had nothing in her hands. Dabao and Xiaobao immediately reached out their small hands, each grabbing one of her hands.
Erbao looked especially happy—finally, he didn’t have to tug at his mother’s skirt anymore.
The three walked in front, while Jiang Huan followed behind. The sunrise spilled over them, painting the scene with an indescribable warmth.
With Jiang Huan’s help, their pace was much faster. A journey that usually took over forty minutes took less than half an hour today.
When they reached the stall, Xu Anyan took the basket from Jiang Huan and set up everything, waiting for customers to come.
Although she had heard a rough explanation from the two boys in the morning, she was still surprised when she saw it with her own eyes.
She couldn’t help but ask, “When did you learn all this?”
Then she quickly added in an attempt to mimic the original owner’s tone:
“My grandmother taught me. After this injury, I’ve thought a lot. I want to earn my own money and spend it however I want.”
“When I make a lot of money, I’ll buy a big house, hire servants, and enjoy delicacies and jewels—anything I want.”
The more vulgar it sounded, the more accurate it seemed. She had tried her best.
The original owner’s grandmother had once worked as a maid in a wealthy household in the prefectural city, and she was already deceased, so blaming everything on her was perfect.
If she slipped up, she still had backup excuses.
Jiang Huan looked at her and immediately understood.
As expected—daydreaming was engraved in her bones.
“Alright. That’s fine,” he said.
To him, it didn’t matter what her thoughts were, as long as she stopped causing trouble and took good care of the children.
Xu Anyan sighed in relief. It seemed she had fooled him again.
Then she asked the question she had been holding in all morning: “Were the two of them doing horse stance in the courtyard this morning?”
Jiang Huan nodded. “Yes. Four months already. It strengthens their bodies and helps prevent illness. In a few years, I’ll teach them martial arts.”
He wasn’t surprised she didn’t know—she usually slept until late morning.
Xu Anyan replied, “That’s good. You can decide.”
She agreed with the idea. Strengthening the body was good, especially for children who often got sick.
After that, Jiang Huan went to play with the two children at the back.
With Jiang Huan helping take care of the children while she focused on selling, the scene attracted many passersby. The “sugar snowballs” sold even faster.
Although Jiang Huan was a constable, not many people recognized him.
At that moment, the vegetable seller Uncle Liu smiled and said, “Girl, your husband is really handsome. You two are… what’s that saying again… right, a perfect match, made in heaven.”
“You’re flattering us, Uncle,” Xu Anyan replied.
“I’m telling the truth,” Uncle Liu insisted.
Before she could respond further, more customers came, and she turned to serve them.
Jiang Huan heard the remark too and had just been waiting to see how she would respond—only for her to move on without a word.
An hour later, all the sugar snowballs were sold out.
After packing up, Jiang Huan quickly stepped forward and took the basket from her.
“Are we going back now?”
“We’ll buy tofu first, then a fish,” she said.
The two little ones ran over immediately.
Dabao said excitedly, “Dad, I wasn’t lying, right?”
Xiaobao added proudly, “Mom’s sugar snowballs are really good—they sell fast!”
Jiang Huan patted their heads. “Yes, they sold very fast.”
He had doubted them in the morning, but it turned out to be true. He had even tried one—it was made from sour fruits, yet it sold surprisingly well and at a high price.
The family split up at the market. Jiang Huan went to buy fish, while Xu Anyan took the children to buy tofu. They agreed to meet at the tofu stall, while the radishes and mushrooms had already been sold earlier.
After waiting for nearly half an hour, Jiang Huan still hadn’t returned.
Xu Anyan began to worry. The fish stall wasn’t far—why was he taking so long?
She pulled the children, ready to leave.
“Let’s go, sons.”
Dabao quickly grabbed her sleeve. “Mom, Dad said to wait here.”
Xiaobao added, “If Dad comes back and can’t find us, he’ll be sad.”
Just then, a familiar voice came from behind.
“I’m back. I bought some extra things, so I was delayed.”
The two boys immediately turned around, excited.
“Mom, Dad’s back!”
Jiang Huan walked over carrying two heavy loads in both hands—besides fish, there was rice, flour, meat, cucumbers, and two large cabbages.
Seeing so many groceries, her anger faded quite a bit.
“You bought so much?”
“I saw we were running low at home, so I bought more. Let’s go back,” he said.
“Alright.”
She reached out to take the cabbages, but he stopped her.
“Don’t move. Your arm isn’t healed yet—you might injure it again.”
“…Fine then.”
The children, seeing their mother’s hands occupied, obediently held onto her skirt again.
Back at home, Xu Anyan skillfully prepared the fish: scraping scales, cleaning the insides, slicing it thin, washing it, then marinating it with salt, ginger juice, and sweet potato starch for about ten minutes.
Without cooking wine, she crushed ginger into juice as a substitute, and starch options were limited too.
These past few days, she had explored almost every shop on Qili Street, but seasoning options were still very limited.
She quickly prepared the other ingredients, ready to cook everything at once.
While she was busy, she suddenly felt the light dim.
Looking up, she saw Jiang Huan standing at the doorway.
He walked in.
Trying to act deliberately, she said, “Jiang Huan, go light the fire. Don’t expect me to serve you.”
Jiang Huan nodded.
Yes—that was more like her. She never suffered loss, not even in tone.
In his memory, she only called him “Jiang Huan.” Only when asking for money or in front of her parents did she call him “husband.”
Thinking of this, he quietly relaxed.
In the cramped kitchen, a tall man sat by the stove.
One cooked, one tended the fire. As long as they didn’t talk, it almost felt warm.
Then Jiang Huan broke the silence.
“Anyan, here are four taels of silver. Take it.”
He handed her a cloth pouch.
She took it without hesitation and tucked it into her clothes.
“Monthly expenses. You still owe me two more taels.”
“Alright, I’ll give it to you later.”
He had originally wanted to bring up divorce today.
But now, seeing her changes, he hesitated.
At least for now, she was better than before. At least she cooked. At least she took care of the children.
While the fish was marinating, she stir-fried vegetables and mushrooms.
A small stove in the corner was simmering radish soup. Jiang Huan kept feeding the fire while also watching the pot.
Soon, a full meal was ready: mushroom stir-fried greens, vinegar potato shreds, sour fish, and radish tofu soup.
Just as she brought out the bowls and chopsticks, the two children were already sitting in their special seats, staring at the food with drool practically about to fall.
“Whose drool is that on the table?” she teased.
Dabao immediately touched his mouth.
Xiaobao quickly denied it, “Mom, I didn’t drool!”
Then he realized she was joking and pouted, “Mom is bad.”
Xu Anyan burst into laughter. “You just confessed yourself.”