| TBBOTOF | 307
As the date for the wedding drew closer, just about half a month away.
The days, though it was already late autumn and early winter, were somewhat unusual this year.
According to past experiences, there should have already been some early snow by now, but this year there wasn’t.
For several consecutive days, the sky remained overcast and gloomy.
But for Tang Erhu, he felt worried about the weather. He kept talking about the weather with his eyes open and his eyes closed.
Wang Cuicui, seeing that things weren’t going well, felt that her husband was becoming crazy.
His mind wasn’t even on the store anymore, so she simply packed up her things and returned home at the beginning of the month.
For nearly two months, Tang Mei had been running the store quite smoothly. When it got busy, Tang Erhu helped look after Goudan. Most of the time, she took care of him herself. Goudan was well-behaved and didn’t cause much trouble, saving her a lot of effort.
Even when Tang Erhu occasionally helped look after the child, he couldn’t help but comment that the boy was much easier to handle than the kids at home. He was quiet and delicate, almost like a little girl.
But these words were something he only muttered to his wife. He was cautious enough not to say them in front of Tang Mei.
When Wang Cuicui heard this, she raised her hand and gave him two hard punches, glaring angrily as she said, “If Da Niu heard what you said, do you know how upset she would be!”
Tang Erhu rubbed the spots where he’d been punched, wincing in pain and grumbling, “I was just talking to you about it. Goudan is even more delicate than our Xiao Bao, and he’s a boy! What is he going to do in the future?”
Wang Cuicui actually felt that Goudan was indeed a bit too dull, not as lively as other kids his age. The braised food shop was located near a residential alley, and many women who came to buy braised food often brought their own children along.
Most of these children were boys, so she often saw energetic and active kids. In comparison, Goudan truly seemed overly introverted.
"He's still little. He might change when he grows up," she said. After all, he was barely a year and a half, not even two years old yet. It was a bit early to judge anything.
Tang Erhu shook his head, chuckling as he said, "Change? What’s there to change? Look at our three grandkids. How they were when they were born is how they are now. I still remember when Er Bao was little, he cried so much that his wailing could be heard outside the courtyard. If he started crying, Xiao /bao would join in too, scaring Da Bao so much that he didn’t dare move. He just stood there panicking."
As he recalled the scene, Tang Erhu couldn’t help but laugh. Then he urged, "Hurry up and pack. I can’t stand staying here another minute."
Wang Cuicui sighed, folding the clothes in her hands neatly and putting them into a bundle. "At least hang the sign outside, so customers won’t think we’ve shut down for good."
"I’ve been telling people for days. The regulars all know we’re hosting a wedding. They even came to congratulate me," Tang Erhu said as he stood up and walked out. "I’ll go hang the sign."
He eagerly went out, took the sign that said the shop was temporarily closed, hung it outside, and then cheerfully came back to tie the cow to the cart.
Tang Mei came out of the house with an apron hanging around her neck, and Goudan was curled up snugly in the apron, sitting quietly.
"Why not let him down to play in the courtyard? The weather’s nice today," Tang Erhu said as soon as he saw Tang Mei’s setup, frowning slightly as he suggested, "Da Niu, let Goudan get down and run around a bit. Why carry him all the time?"
Tang Mei had a wry smile on her face. She looked down at her son, who was nestled in the apron, and explained helplessly, "He doesn’t want to walk. If I put him down, he just whines. I figured I’d get everything packed up quickly, and he’d probably be better once we’re on the cart."
Tang Erhu shook his head and didn’t say anything else, though he couldn’t help muttering in his mind about how overly delicate the boy was. The more they pampered him, the weaker he seemed.
He wondered how the child would manage as he grew up.
Wang Cuicui came out carrying two bundles. She saw that Tang Erhu had already hitched the cow cart and placed the bundles onto the cart. Turning to Tang Mei, she called out, "Da Niu, make sure everything is packed up properly. We won’t be back for almost twenty days."
Tang Mei nodded and smiled. "I’ve already packed everything. We didn’t bring much when we came."
"I’ve packed the new clothes we just bought too. When Xiao Yang sees them, he’ll definitely be happy," Wang Cuicui added. She hadn’t expected Tang Xu to pay her such a generous wage. With money in hand and the weather turning colder, she had gone to the clothing shop and bought two sets of clothes for the children. She was also planning to make them new padded jackets for the winter.
She’d bought the cotton but hadn’t had time to sew them yet. This trip home would give her the chance to get it done.
Thinking about how her Xiao Yang hadn’t worn new clothes in years, Tang Mei let out a heavy sigh.
Wang Cuicui heard the noise and glanced at Tang Mei, asking, “What’s the matter? Aren’t you happy to be going home to see your son?”
“It’s not that,” Tang Mei said with a faint tug at her lips. She untied the apron she was wearing, took out Goudan, who was curled up inside, and placed him on the cow cart.
She handed him a cloth tiger to hold and added softly, “I just keep thinking about how Xiao Yang and I suffered so much at the Sun family’s house. It makes my heart ache.”
Wang Cuicui was momentarily stunned. “That was so long ago. Why are you still dwelling on it?”
It had been more than half a year since then. She couldn’t understand why Tang Mei was letting herself get upset over things that had already passed.
Tang Mei gave a bitter smile and shook her head. “It’s not that easy to forget.”
Wang Cuicui didn’t know how to comfort her, so she decided to change the subject. “We haven’t seen each other in a couple of months. I wonder how Ah Li’s wedding gown is coming along. Last time Dongzi came over with the chickens and ducks, I asked him about it, but he said she’s kept it hidden away, not letting anyone see it. Even Xu Ge’er hasn’t had a peek.”
Tang Mei’s somber expression lightened a bit, and a small smile tugged at her lips. “I was the same back then. I wouldn’t let anyone see my wedding gown until my wedding day. I was so afraid someone might say it wasn’t stitched well.”
Though life afterward had been far from kind, her wedding day was genuinely one of the happiest moments of her life.
Wang Cuicui chuckled. “That’s why you two are such close sisters.”
“Are you two done packing yet?” Tang Erhu came out of the kitchen, carrying an iron bucket filled with the broth used for braising food in the shop. They brought it home every time they returned, freezing it so it could be reused when they came back.
The broth was incredibly rich, and every time they stewed or braised food, they’d add water to thin it out a bit. Yet, the braised food always came out fragrant and flavorful.
Seeing that the lid on the iron bucket was securely fastened, Wang Cuicui quickly grabbed a few stones to place on the cow cart. They’d use them to wedge the bucket in place, preventing it from tipping over during the bumpy ride.
Eager to get home, they decided to skip cooking lunch and bought some buns on the way. Tang Mei sat on the cart holding Goudan in her arms, while Wang Cuicui sat beside her, steadying the bucket.
Tang Erhu drove the cart carefully, and the old cow plodded along at a slow, steady pace. The gentle rocking of the cart was enough to make anyone drowsy.
“Da Niu, if you’re tired, just take a nap,” Wang Cuicui said, noticing Tang Mei’s drooping eyelids.
Tang Mei yawned and glanced at the sleeping Goudan in her arms. “I’ll wait until we get home. Let’s chat to pass the time, Auntie.”
“Chat about what?” Wang Cuicui asked with a grin. Then, as if a thought suddenly struck her, her eyes lit up. “Do you remember that man who kept coming to the shop a while back to buy braised eggs?”
Tang Mei nodded. “Of course I remember. You said he was filial, for always buying braised eggs to add to his mother’s meals.”
“Add to her meals? Not quite,” Wang Cuicui said, teasing as she smiled slyly. “His mother came by the shop the other day and, well, she seemed to have taken a liking to you.”
Tang Mei’s eyes flew open, and her sleepiness vanished in an instant.
What?
Taking a liking to her?
When did that start?
0 Comments
Post a Comment