Chapter 148:
“Does Miaomiao hope Mother goes?”
“If Mother says to go, Miaomiao will go; if Mother says not to go, then won’t go. Mother has her own reason.”
“Not going!”
“Oh.”
Miaomiao missed Li Sanmao, but she also knew it wasn’t easy for Mother to see Father once; she had her consideration.
In prison, Zhou Shi longed with tearful eyes. Calculating by the day of the last delivery of things, Luo Zhi’er should have arrived in town that day to deliver the goods.
Today was also the delivery day, yet by afternoon there was still no sign of her.
The others were also staring eagerly; Li Gui and Li Zhenzhu’s eyes were already bloodshot like starving wolves. Li Gui chewed on straw, swallowing saliva in his throat.
Muqing, Yunliang, and Liuliu, those few little kids, not to mention them.
“Want to eat cake, want to eat meat bun!”
“Third Child, what’s going on with Luo Zhi’er? Is she not coming today? Does she even have you this man in her eyes?”
“Mom, how much silver can Zhi’er have? Coming once costs at least several hundred cash; do you think she’s making silver?”
“Isn’t there payment?”
“Payment? You forgot, didn’t you already collect it in advance? That fifteen taels.”
Li Sanmao said with eyes slightly closed.
“Hmph! Fooling ghosts. Luo Zhi’er definitely does more business than just with that Yumian Tower; maybe behind our backs they’ve cooperated on something else?”
Full of expectation in her eyes.
“Mom, better stop dreaming and face reality.”
Li Sanmao ruthlessly woke her up.
“You!”
Old Li Tou was listless, groaning now and then; other times he didn’t make a sound.
Luo Zhi’er led the mule out the city gate; Miaomiao sat in the cart as the two chatted, but she always felt like something was forgotten.
“Oh dear, look at Mother’s memory. Grandma Zhao asked to bring a jin of white sugar, and it was forgotten!”
Luo Zhi’er patted her forehead.
“Mother, what now?”
“Go back to buy it.”
But this mule cart was already afternoon; going in meant another security check, and with all these things in the cart, so much trouble!
Miaomiao also thought of this. “Mother, you go in to buy white sugar; Miaomiao will watch the mule cart here.”
“Can you?”
She was a bit uneasy.
“Don’t worry, Mother. Miaomiao won’t run around.”
“Alright then! Mother will park the cart by the roadside; eat something on the cart.”
Luo Zhi’er parked the empty cart by the roadside under a white poplar tree; it was afternoon with sun, which could shade Miaomiao from the sunshine.
“Mother’s going. Miaomiao take good care of yourself and the mule cart.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Miaomiao nodded like a little chick pecking rice, still eating cake in her mouth.
Luo Zhi’er jogged all the way, passing the security check at the city gate, and quickly ran inside.
Inside, it took over ten minutes walking along the avenue, then turning to the rice flour and oil shop to buy white sugar.
Unexpectedly, perhaps being afternoon homecoming time, the small shop was packed with customers vying to buy what they wanted.
The boss was busy cursing; also a hot-tempered one.
Luo Zhi’er ran sweating profusely, wanted to cut in line, but being too big-built, she got cursed by the hunched old man in front.
Seeing everyone indignant glaring at her, she had no choice but to line up helplessly, queuing for about twenty minutes, anxious inside.
When her turn came, she finally bought a jin of white sugar and came out; the sun had shifted west, so she hurried running toward outside the city.
By the time she jogged back to the mule cart, from afar she saw a huge black long-haired heavenly dog by Miaomiao?
Heavenly dog was Tibetan mastiff!
Like a big meat ball; Miaomiao squatted there playing with it!
Luo Zhi’er broke out in cold sweat. When she got close, she saw this Tibetan mastiff was about three hundred jin, height about eighty-plus cm, body hair over thirty cm, sturdy frame, thick limbs, eyes emitting strong killing intent!
Miaomiao, a little young woman, was like a small bean sprout before it.
“Miaomiao!”
Miaomiao turned back, saw it was Luo Zhi’er, and quickly led the Tibetan mastiff over to her.
Luo Zhi’er looked tensely at the Tibetan mastiff.
“Miaomiao, what’s… going on? Where did the heavenly dog come from?”
“Mother, is this doggy the fierce dog you mentioned?”
Luo Zhi’er nodded.
“It was sent by Master Ye’s servant Song Wu just now, saying it’s for us to guard the gate.”
“What?”
That heavenly dog’s eyes seemed to scrutinize her closely too; Luo Zhi’er met its gaze without flinching, and its eyes grew even fiercer!
To tame this kind of heavenly dog, you can’t run or show fear; otherwise, the moment you turn, it’s a ferocious beast that bites you, tearing flesh from bone!
“Mother, here is dog food sent by Song Wu; you feed it some!”
Luo Zhi’er saw Miaomiao holding a bag in her right hand; indeed there was food inside, meat chunks. She showed it to it but didn’t give it!
That Tibetan mastiff was getting angry!
Eyes emitting eerie light.
“Bill, eat!!!”
Tossed it a chunk; the Tibetan mastiff perked its ears. “Bill?”
Alright!
Luo Zhi’er watched the Tibetan mastiff eat it, then tossed another chunk; Bill’s gaze toward her seemed gentler.
“Mother, what’s Bill?”
“Its name!”
“Oh, right, Mother. Song Wu also brought you a pair of shoes and a bottle of medicinal wine for bruises; if you’re hurt, come quick and apply some!”
After seeing no malice in Bill’s eyes toward her, Luo Zhi’er went to the front of the mule cart and looked.
Saw a pair of cloth shoes embroidered with orchids on the cart; looked at her own feet—indeed, in the rush earlier, she forgot to buy new ones.
So she picked them up and put them on, walked a bit. “Heh, not bad. This Ye Tuotuo isn’t losing out selling my recipe to him!”
Quite fitting and comfortable.
“Mother, who would’ve thought that Master Ye looks fierce and unapproachable, but actually he’s pretty nice.”
“Oh? How do you know he’s nice?”
“Anyway, anyone good to Mother, Miaomiao thinks they’re nice!”
Miaomiao said with full seriousness in her eyes.
Luo Zhi’er tweaked her little nose; as expected of her young maid, so heartwarming and clever.
He probably feared she wouldn’t give him a good recipe, feared the duck in hand flying away, so bribed her!
“Yeah, not bad. This kid has some conscience; one look and he knew sister’s size.”
“Yes, Mother! Especially this doggy; Miaomiao likes it so much!”
Miaomiao stroked its dangling long hair on the head; that Tibetan mastiff actually nuzzled obediently against Miaomiao, squatted by her side, and Miaomiao hugged it rubbing!
This shocked Luo Zhi’er greatly; why could this Tibetan mastiff let Miaomiao be so close?
Just from the earlier feeding?
In her mind, Tibetan mastiffs were things even wolves, tigers, and leopards dared not provoke; as soon as it roared, anyone encountering it could only retreat. It was a plateau dog; who knew how Ye Beiyao got it?
Its value shouldn’t be low, over a thousand taels for sure, yet willing to give it to her to guard the gate. She hadn’t noticed this heavenly dog didn’t bite her!
Provided this heavenly dog was fierce enough; from her observation, this guy was quite docile! Not the fierce dog in her mind.
Was it really a Tibetan mastiff?
Luo Zhi’er put away the white sugar, led Bill into the mule cart. “Mother, just now Second Grandmother and the others passed by here!”
“Oh? Really?”
“Second Grandmother was injured, sitting in a push cart; Second Old Man and Uncle Zhao were pushing her!”
“Is that so? Did they see Miaomiao?”
“Of course. Second Grandmother was so fierce; the look in her eyes when she saw Miaomiao was like she wanted to eat her. Seeing Mother not there, she even had Second Old Man come check what things we bought in the mule cart!”
“And then?”
“Miaomiao wouldn’t let him look! Second Grandmother cursed Miaomiao, so awful! Second Old Man also came forward to look; that’s when Song Wu arrived leading Bill!”
