Seeing Xiaobao’s little expression, Xu Anyan smiled.
“I’m going to buy some osmanthus cakes later. Does anyone want some?”
Xiaobao immediately looked up, his little eyes sparkling.
“Mother, I do! Big Brother does too!”
Then he turned to Dabao and asked seriously,
“Big Brother, you want some too, right?”
He had heard Brother Xiaohu say that osmanthus cakes were just as delicious as cloud cakes.
“Mother, I want lotus pastries,” Dabao said.
Hearing that he could make requests too, Xiaobao’s eyes rolled, and he quickly added,
“Mother, I want cloud cakes!”
Father had bought lotus pastries and cloud cakes before. They had been especially delicious. But Mother had loved eating them even more than they did. Before they had managed more than a few bites, Mother had already eaten them all.
Thinking of this, both Dabao and Xiaobao’s little faces fell. They didn’t know how many bites they’d get this time.
When Xu Anyan saw their gloomy expressions, she was puzzled. Weren’t they happy just a moment ago?
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy about getting delicious treats?”
Xiaobao muttered,
“Mother, could you buy a little more?”
“Why?” Xu Anyan asked in confusion.
Dabao said softly,
“Because Mother likes them too. Last time, Father bought lotus pastries and cloud cakes, and Mother ate them all.”
With Dabao’s reminder, some memories flashed through Xu Anyan’s mind. Jiang Huan really had bought those pastries several times before, but the original owner had eaten almost all of them. The two little ones had only gotten a few bites and could only watch helplessly as their mother ate with great enjoyment.
Thinking of this, Xu Anyan felt embarrassed.
“This time, Mother won’t eat any.”
Dabao immediately objected.
“No! Mother should eat too. Just… can you leave a few extra pieces for me and Little Brother?”
Hearing this, Xu Anyan felt even more ashamed.
What a sin!
Just then, the waiter arrived carrying their dishes.
Xu Anyan inwardly sighed with relief.
A lifesaver!
After the dishes were set on the table, Xu Anyan asked for two small bowls and divided the lotus seed soup equally between the two children.
The delicious aroma of the food had already made the children forget their earlier unhappiness. They quickly picked up their little spoons and began eating the soup in front of them.
“Mother, I want meat!”
Xiaobao pointed at the crispy duck on the table, asking Xu Anyan to serve him some.
Xu Anyan picked a piece of duck for each child.
Soon, both Dabao and Xiaobao had oily little mouths.
“Mother, I want tofu!”
Xu Anyan then gave each of them two chopsticks’ worth of tofu and placed it into their small bowls.
By the end of the meal, Xu Anyan had been feeding not only herself but also the two children nonstop. Fortunately, she could use chopsticks with her left hand; otherwise, the three of them would have had no choice but to stare at one another helplessly.
Patting her stomach, Xu Anyan finally felt full for the first time since waking up. Dabao and Xiaobao’s little bellies were round from eating as well.
The meal had cost a full half tael of silver.
Afterward, Xu Anyan took the two children to a pastry shop called Fragrant Pavilion, a place famous for having the widest variety of pastries and preserved fruits.
As soon as they entered, the fragrance of pastries greeted them. The shelves were filled with all kinds of sweets.
Dabao and Xiaobao still held tightly onto Xu Anyan’s skirt, but their eyes darted everywhere.
Dabao tugged at her skirt and looked up at her with a bright smile.
“Mother, there are so many cakes!”
Xiaobao also tugged at her skirt and said pitifully,
“Mother, I want to eat all of them.”
Xu Anyan looked right, then left. At this moment, she especially missed her former single life.
How free she had once been.
Now, her head was practically spinning.
“All right, don’t rush.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a shop assistant came over.
“Customer, what flavor of pastries would you like? I’ll pack them right away. Our best seller is soft poria cake,” the assistant introduced enthusiastically.
Dabao and Xiaobao’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Xu Anyan said slowly,
“One package of soft poria cakes, two packages of cloud cakes, and one package of lotus pastries.”
“And pack two bags of preserved fruits as well.”
The assistant immediately replied,
“Please wait a moment, customer. I’ll pack them for you right away.”
Xu Anyan remembered that the so-called “preserved fruits” here were dried fruit snacks. There were many kinds, such as dried apricots, candied dates, and preserved tangerine peel.
While she was lost in thought, the assistant returned carrying the packaged pastries.
“Miss, everything is packed. The total comes to three hundred copper coins.”
Xu Anyan lifted the basket in her hand, signaling for him to place the items inside.
Understanding immediately, the assistant carefully put the boxes into the basket.
She had specifically bought this basket at the general store to make carrying things easier.
After paying, Dabao and Xiaobao immediately wanted to eat.
Xiaobao said with a grin,
“Mother, I want to try one piece.”
Although Dabao said nothing, his eager little eyes were fixed directly on Xu Anyan.
Helpless, Xu Anyan led them to a quiet place with few people. She opened the package of soft poria cakes and took out three pieces—one for each of them.
“Just one piece for now. We’ll eat the others after we get home.”
“We’ll listen to Mother,” Dabao immediately agreed.
Afterward, Xu Anyan realized that her basket couldn’t hold any more things, so she decided to take the two little ones home first.
She had originally wanted to buy some rice and flour, but that would have to wait, mainly because she couldn’t carry them.
Back at the small courtyard, Dabao and Xiaobao hurriedly opened the packages of cloud cakes and lotus pastries. Each of them took another piece and nibbled on it little by little.
Seeing this, Xu Anyan gathered up all the remaining pastries and put them away.
The two little ones watched eagerly as their mother hid all the cakes again.
Their little faces instantly fell.
Even the cakes in their hands no longer seemed delicious.
“Mother, I still want some.”
“Mother, Little Brother and I have only eaten one piece.”
Looking at their pitiful expressions, Xu Anyan immediately realized they had misunderstood.
“You can’t eat any more today. But starting tomorrow, you can eat one piece of each kind every day. Mother isn’t hiding them from you; I’m keeping them for you. I’ll put them on the cabinet in the room. From now on, you can get them yourselves—each of you may take two pieces of each kind every day.”
The two children were obedient, so she wasn’t worried. Eating too much would ruin their appetites.
Dabao and Xiaobao’s eyes immediately lit up.
Wonderful!
Mother wasn’t hiding the pastries, and they could eat some every day from now on.
Then, Xu Anyan gave each of them a small handful of preserved fruits before carrying the seasonings into the kitchen.
After looking around the kitchen, she discovered that they still needed to buy some bowls, plates, chopsticks, and a few more earthenware jars.
It was already the Hour of Wei—around one in the afternoon.
Xu Anyan first took the two little ones onto the heated kang bed for an afternoon nap.
There would still be time to visit next door after they woke up.
At the second quarter of the Hour of Shen (3:30 p.m.).
Xu Anyan took a box of cloud cakes and a bag of preserved fruits, preparing to visit Aunt Wu next door.
Her arm still couldn’t lift heavy things, but the kitchen needed more household items, so she could only trouble Aunt Wu for help.
Carrying the prepared gifts and bringing the two children with her, she closed the door behind them. The one adult and two little ones then headed next door.
When they reached Aunt Wu’s house, Xu Anyan saw that the courtyard gate was only lightly closed, so she pushed it open and went in.
Looking around, she noticed that Aunt Wu’s home was built almost exactly like theirs. It seemed that all the courtyards in Wenliu Alley shared a similar layout.
The courtyard was completely quiet.
Before Xu Anyan could even speak, Xiaobao shouted loudly,
“Grandma Wu, we’re back!”