Qi He finished speaking and was about to put the melons he was holding into his basket when he found something inside. He turned his head, intending to ask Fu Meimei where the items in the basket came from.
Fu Xinci had already prepared her story. She leaned close to Qi He's ear and whispered, "I just saw an auntie rushing home, it seemed like something happened at her house, and she was very anxious. She had ten salted duck eggs left in her basket, and I saw they were very cheap, so I bought them all."
"How come you always encounter good things, Fu Meimei." Qi He liked eating salted duck eggs. When his grandmother was alive, she would save the eggs laid by their two ducks and pickle them for him.
"Mm, and a bag of quail eggs too."
"Quail eggs? Where are they, let me see." Qi He's heart tingled even more upon hearing about the quail eggs.
"They're here, Qi Ge, look, they're five-spiced."
"Oh my, so many." Seeing so many quail eggs, Qi He felt his saliva involuntarily start to drool. He glanced at Fu Xinci and sheepishly asked, "Fu Meimei, can I try one? Just one will do."
"Of course, Qi Ge, eat your fill."
"Haha, Fu Meimei, you're the best. I won't eat too many, just one," Qi He said with conviction. However, in one sitting, half the oil paper bag was gone.
Looking at the eggshells on the ground, Qi He felt his face had nowhere to hide.
He was so embarrassed. He said he'd eat only one, but he couldn't stop once he started.
"Fu Meimei, these quail eggs are too delicious. I ate one, and then I wanted a second, a third..." Qi He couldn't finish his sentence, feeling ashamed of himself.
"Qi Ge, these quail eggs are truly delicious. I guarantee anyone who eats them will feel the same as you."
"..." Qi He didn't reply, but he praised Fu Xinci profusely in his heart. Fu Meimei was indeed the best, not only understanding him but also saving his face. Fu Meimei was wonderful, as good as a fairy, better than anyone else.
Fu Xinci saw that it was about time and stood up, ready to go with Qi He to buy grain.
Qi He, seeing Fu Xinci about to carry the basket, quickly stopped her. "Fu Meimei, let me carry it."
"Qi Ge, I'll carry it. You'll still have to carry the flour sacks later."
Qi He thought about it and realized she was right. He didn't argue with Fu Xinci anymore.
They went to another grain store. This store was run by a young couple who were very enthusiastic and good at attracting customers. Seeing them as two teenagers, they didn't dismiss them and warmly asked what they wanted to buy.
Fu Xinci glanced at the price of regular corn flour, which was also five copper coins, and asked Qi He, "Qi Ge, how much corn flour can you carry?"
"Twenty jin, at least twenty jin."
"That's impressive, young man. You're quite strong."
"..." Qi He covered his mouth, fearing he would burst out laughing at Fu Xinci's imitation of an old man.
The young woman nearby was amused by Fu Xinci's playful expression and, remembering her business, said, "If you buy twenty jin of corn flour, we'll give you a flour sack for free."
"A flour sack is great, we were just worrying about that." Fu Xinci had indeed been worried about not having a flour sack, and the young woman had solved their problem with a single sentence.
"Please weigh out twenty jin of corn flour for us."
"Certainly, right away." The young woman agreed and called to her husband, "My dear, please help this young lady weigh twenty jin of corn flour."
"Got it, coming right up." The young man nimbly weighed the corn flour, tied the mouth of the bag with a fine hemp rope, and handed it to Qi He.
"Brother, please put it directly on my shoulder, it'll be easier for me to carry."
"No problem."
"Qi Ge, are you sure you can handle it?" Fu Xinci was still worried, as Qi He was only ten years old, and she feared he might injure himself. "Or perhaps we can divide some of it into the basket, and I can carry some too."
"No need for that, let's go quickly, we don't want Grandpa Meng and the others to wait too long."
After speaking, Qi He hoisted the flour sack and walked out. Fu Xinci had no choice but to take out the silver corner pieces to pay.
When she finished paying and came out, Qi He was waiting with the flour sack. Seeing Fu Xinci emerge from the grain store, he began walking back, carrying the flour sack.
Fu Xinci thought: There's nothing she can help with in this matter.
Fortunately, they hadn't walked far before Fu Yu came running to meet them.
Fu Xinci thought: It's not easy for her elegant and refined, yet cheap, father to run with such a graceful, light gait.
Then she recalled her father's previous heroic feat of wrestling a wolf, and felt that nothing was beyond his capabilities.
Alas, times had changed. No one had expected that the one who adapted most quickly to his new identity would be her cheap father, known for his gentle demeanor.
Alas, it was truly not easy.
After her cheap father took the flour sack, Fu Xinci's worry eased, and she had the leisure to continue observing the shops on both sides of the street.
Ahead was a pastry shop. To attract customers, especially children, the counter was set very low. For someone as small as Fu Xinci, the pastries on the counter were clearly visible.
"Mom, it smells so good, I want to eat some *caozi* cake." A mother and son walking towards them, the little boy stopped in front of the pastry shop, unwilling to move.
The plump proprietress, seeing the hesitant young woman, put on a smiling face and said opportunely, "My dear sister, the *caozi* cake in our shop is top-notch. Why don't you buy two pieces for your nephew to try? Or even one piece is fine, it's not expensive."
"Mom, buy one, just one," the little boy, afraid his mother wouldn't buy it, followed the proprietress's suggestion and pleaded pitifully for just one piece of *caozi* cake.
The young woman, seeing her son's pitiable plea, no longer insisted. She took out two copper coins from her sleeve pocket and said to the proprietress with a slightly sheepish expression, "Give us a small one."
The proprietress was skilled at handling customers. She carefully explained to the young woman, "All our pastries are made in molds, so they are almost all the same size. This piece of *caozi* cake is a good size. Your nephew might not be completely full with one piece, but he'll certainly be eight-tenths full."
Hearing the proprietress's detailed explanation, Fu Xinci couldn't help but take a closer look at the pastry called *caozi* cake.
With just one glance, she was pleasantly surprised to find that this *caozi* cake looked very similar to the waterless cakes of her previous life, like sisters born of the same mother.
With this discovery, Fu Xinci's lips curved upwards, her eyes smiling.
Qi He wondered why Fu Meimei's smile reminded him of something... something the teacher had taught, but he couldn't recall it for a moment.