Chapter 231: Small Path
“Isn’t it just an egg tart? How much could it be worth? We haven’t seen him take it out to sell! How about it, Mother, why don’t you go ask?”
Master Ye has what identity? Even if they had that doubt in their hearts, they wouldn’t have the guts to go find trouble with him!
The last time Shopkeeper Zhu wanted to chop off her hand was still fresh in their minds.
“What? What are you plotting? Do you want to get me killed? Hmph, that Shopkeeper Zhu is someone who eats people without spitting out the bones. Could his master be any better?”
Zhou Shi said dejectedly. They still didn’t know that Ye Beiyao was the Young Master.
They could only admit they were unlucky. Under Luo Zhi’er’s careless eyes, Zhou Shi and Chen Shi’s depression and grievance reached an extreme, and the matter was just let go…
The next day, Li Sanmao went hunting in the deep mountain. She deliberately dressed herself and Miaomiao warmly, picked up the bamboo basket, and took Miaomiao up the mountain.
On the way out, they met Chen Shi with a strange expression. Seeing Luo Zhi’er and the others, Chen Shi stepped forward to block the way.
“Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law.”
“Second Sister-in-law, why are you blocking our way?”
“Third Brother, our Second Son’s Family’s two children are going to go hungry again today. Could you give us some of the sweet potatoes left in your field from yesterday? And those moldy dried tofu—throwing them away is just throwing them away, so could you give them to us too?”
Li Sanmao was just about to agree when Luo Zhi’er stopped him: “No!”
“Luo Zhi’er, you’ve already planted those sweet potatoes. The leftovers will just rot if left there, and the moldy dried tofu will just be thrown away anyway. Don’t go too far!”
“Second Sister-in-law, I bought those sweet potatoes and beans with silver. How I handle them is my business, no need for you to worry about it!”
“Third Brother, what do you say?”
“Uh, Miaomiao’s Mother has the final say on this.”
“Second Sister-in-law, at this time of year, there are plenty of wild game in the fields and the river!”
“That kind of work, I don’t know how to do it.”
“You don’t know how? Then you’ll just have to go hungry. Think about how I caught those eels and fish and shrimp before? As long as you’re diligent, you won’t starve to death.”
Hmph, putting on an act in front of Miaomiao’s Father? She’s hungry herself but won’t give to others, and it’s others’ fault. She’d rather beg with her head down than endure hardship!
Who cares about her?
After speaking, she walked away without looking back. This scene did not escape Zhou Shi’s eyes.
Looking at their departing backs, she muttered under her breath: “This damn Luo Zhi’er is so stingy. Isn’t it just a few pieces of moldy dried tofu? Even pigs wouldn’t eat them. Look how stingy she is!”
“Shut your mouth! You’re so generous—why don’t you give them those few wilted radishes in your room?”
“In your dreams!”
Zhou Shi guarded her food possessively.
Old Li Tou said flatly,
“Third Daughter-in-law is right. There are plenty of eels and bullfrogs in the fields. You won’t starve!”
……
“Husband, how about we go to that mountain peak with pine nuts from last time today?” After leaving the courtyard, Luo Zhi’er said expressionlessly.
Li Sanmao looked at the bamboo basket in her hand and understood her idea. “What, you want to pick pine nuts again?”
“Hehe, no one knows me better than my husband!”
Luo Zhi’er nodded playfully, with an expression like a scheming old fox…
“With that greedy snack-loving look of yours, sigh, in this world, only your husband can put up with it…”
“Oh? Husband, in that case, I’ll just stick to you!”
Luo Zhi’er pretended to link her arm with his and shook it.
“Sigh, headache. Then your husband will respectfully obey!”
Li Sanmao was indescribably smug inside. Miaomiao rode on his shoulders like a horse, his wife linked her arm with his, and he had already forgotten the scene in the yard just now.
Aunt Yinxing came face-to-face from the opposite direction. Seeing the young couple being so affectionate, she widened her eyes. Luo Zhi’er quickly flung his arm away!
Aunt Yinxing clicked her tongue twice. “Yo, look at how good the relationship is between San Mao and his wife. Where are you all headed?”
She had seen their family of three holding hands before, so this was acceptable too.
“Hehe, Aunt Yinxing, San Mao is going hunting on the mountain. I’m taking Miaomiao up the mountain for a stroll!” Luo Zhi’er said shyly.
“Oh, going for a stroll on the mountain? The mountain is a good place to go, go ahead, hehe!”
Seeing Aunt Yinxing walk far away with a meaningful look, Luo Zhi’er stomped her foot and glared at Li Sanmao. Did Aunt Yinxing misunderstand something?
“Wife, don’t walk away!”
Li Sanmao grimaced and shook his arm, then quickly chased after her, pulling her arm to link it back on his. “Wife, are you trying to murder your husband? I know you’re shy, but no need to use so much force!”
Luo Zhi’er lifted his sleeve and pinched it. “Ouch! It hurts, hurts, Wife!”
Miaomiao watched her parents playfully bickering with a giggling face, shaking her head like a rattle drum. “Yeah, Mother, Miaomiao didn’t see anything!”
“Oh, you little maid are making fun of Mother too!”
“No, no, Mother, Miaomiao loves you the most, most, most! Miaomiao just said it because your face is red. How could I make fun of you?”
“Unjustly accused, Wife. You can’t blame your husband for this. You were the one who grabbed me first!”
“Right, Miaomiao?”
“Li Sanmao!!!”
The three climbed the hillside to the mountain peak, where there were pine trees. Li Sanmao went nearby to set traps, while Luo Zhi’er looked out over the area below!
In the distance, Ma Huang Gou was still that patch of strange wasteland…
Naturally, she couldn’t see the spot where she had scattered the coffee beans. She really wanted to go down and check.
After looking around, she bent down to pick up pine nuts. After picking for a while, she picked the pine cones from the pine tree, gathered those on the ground, and began using tools to pry them open to get the pine nuts inside!
Mother and daughter knocked and hit them while chatting. Soon, Li Sanmao burst out from the forest.
“How did it go, Husband?”
“I set a few snares. I’ll come check early tomorrow morning!”
“Good!”
Li Sanmao lowered his head and joined them in picking up pine nuts from the ground. After a while, he heard his wife say: “Husband, is there any shortcut to Ma Huang Gou?”
Li Sanmao looked at her puzzledly. Her eyes were squinted—had a flying insect gotten in? He rubbed them and said: “There is one, but the path isn’t easy to walk! It can avoid those bugs though!”
Joy lit up in Luo Zhi’er’s eyes. Could a rough path be worse than last time? Plus, it avoided the leeches.
“What? We can really go?”
“Why would I lie to you? Your husband has been hunting for over ten years. Which path in these mountains am I not familiar with?”
Recalling the miserable and perilous experience of the mother and daughter before, her mood became complicated. If only she had asked him earlier—instead of suffering like that?
“What are you going to Ma Huang Gou for?”
That place was full of leeches—not a good place to go.
“Husband, did you forget? That whole area is yours truly’s!” Luo Zhi’er casually pointed toward the foot of the mountain.
Li Sanmao suddenly realized—his wife had bought that wasteland below a few months ago.
“Oh, your husband forgot. Why do you want to go check it out now?”
“Mm, it’s just wasting resources if left alone. Let’s see if we can utilize it effectively, maybe reclaim it to plant things. Wouldn’t that be great?”
“Mm, alright then. Let’s go now!” Li Sanmao looked up at the sun—it was high in the sky, still early! A round trip would be no problem.
