Chapter 38

  (Thirty-eight)

  Shen Shuxian felt at ease only when she returned to her own home. Although the year had not yet ended, her mother was naturally unwilling for her to return so early, as she was enjoying herself at the village head's house with plenty of food and drink, and it wasn't cold either. However, that was not her own home, so Shen Shuxian insisted on returning and didn't want Yang Sichen to send her off, saying: "I've been away from your family for several years, I naturally know the way back. Besides, there's nothing lacking at home, and I also know how to cook and do chores."

  Yang Sichen suddenly found that the girl was far from what he had imagined, and he also gave up on sending her back. He just handed over some money, goods, and clothes to her, told her to get on the carriage, and paid the fare early. Shen Shuxian also replied, "I will pay you back as soon as I graduate."

  Yang Sizhen didn't answer him either, just saying "Be careful on your way."

  Shen Shuxian felt a little guilty.

  The old man in his sixties drove the horse carriage, and the horse was also an old horse. It stepped on the snowy ground, and its nose sprayed out thick white air. After saying "hold tight", it started moving with a jolt.

  Shen Shuxian's clothes were bought by Yang Sicheng's father, a white rabbit hair sweater, red round-headed leather shoes with a star on them, and a new scarf that wrapped warmly around her neck. When she took it off, she felt empty and uncomfortable, so she put it back on. In the carriage, she dozed off, and the old driver occasionally pulled out a pancake from his pocket to satisfy his hunger.

  "Oh no!" The old driver stopped and said to Shen Shuxian in the car, "Miss, come down and take a look."

  Shen Shuxian heard the rustling sound and shouted in her heart, "I'm done for."

  It's the sound of a waterfall. Originally, this river would freeze solid every year, but this year it thawed out early and the horse carriage can't get through. Unless they take a detour, which might exhaust him. It's strange, when I came from home there was no melting ice, but now on the way back it's become like this.

  The old man looked at the weather, "I can't send you off now, it's still early, wait a bit and there will definitely be boatmen coming to ferry, just wait here. I'll take you to the restaurant next door first, let's have something to eat."

  The so-called restaurant was just a simple setup next to the inn, a noodle shop with three tables and two benches. The old man and Shen Shuxian each had a bowl of hot noodles and ate them quickly, then wanted to go back.

  Shen Shuxian saw him off and bought two large buns, brushed some chili sauce on them, wrapped them in paper and stuffed them into his hands. "Take these to eat on the road."

  Watching the old man drive away, Shen Shuxian stared at the river surface, hoping for a boat to come.

  The sky was getting dark, and the little vendor was piling up stools on the table while moving into the inn, shouting, "Sister, I'm closing my stall! If you don't want to stay overnight, please give me a convenient spot to sit, I have to close up shop!"

  Shen Shuxian was a bit anxious, "When will there be a boat going back?"

  Shen Shuxian was a bit anxious, "When will there be a boat going back?"

  "It's the Chinese New Year, what boat are you talking about? Unless you charter one yourself, thirty big yuan isn't worth it!" The young boy was wiping down the table and stools with a greasy rag as if they owed him money.

  Shen Shuxian was desperate, and since she had to spend money to stay at an inn, she said to the young servant, "Alright, bring me a bowl of mutton soup. I'll go book a room first, and then come out to eat later."

  Having a business to attend to, the child didn't rush to close up shop and instead hurried over to the stove to get busy.

  There is no other house, only one big room, five yuan a night, it's simply robbery. But there is no other way, this time the village head Yang gave a lot of lucky money, let's just say he treated us to dinner. The sky has already darkened, well, let's indulge for once. Still not at ease, asked if the room was clean or not, and if there was hot water for bathing, only then did I feel at ease and sat down outside to eat dinner.

  The snow had stopped falling, and the wind was very quiet. Xiao Er lit a candle and placed it on the table, covering it with a windscreen, making it look like a lantern, which it probably originally was.

  Suddenly heard a burst of car sounds, a large military vehicle stopped near the guest house.

  Xu Saille rubbed her hands together and shouted "Alright, alright! We have a place to live and something to eat now."

  "Big brother Xu Saihan pinched her neck,"Alright, stop yelling, you're making me hungry."

  First, eat something. The two siblings were greatly disappointed. This place only had one table and it was already occupied. Seeing that there were customers coming, the shopkeeper didn't bother to bring things out from home and instead said, "You three just sit together, so I won't have to go move things again, what a waste of time." What do you two want to eat?

  After finishing, she put the mutton soup in front of Shen Shuxian, and the aroma filled her nostrils. Xu Sairen swallowed his saliva, "What is this? I want to eat this."

  "This is our family's traditional mutton soup, passed down from our ancestors. We use the bones of the Da'er Mountain goat and pig's trotters to simmer in this big pot, then add sliced fresh mutton and cleaned sheep entrails to cook. After it's done, we scoop it out, drain the water, slice it thinly, and put it in a bowl with boiling water. Then we pour in the hot, snowy-white mutton soup broth, sprinkle some green scallions on top... just look at this color, smell that aroma! I guarantee you'll be sweating all over, feeling warm from head to toe after eating this!"

  Shen Shuxian smiled and said, "It's just a bowl of mutton soup, you really know how to brag."

  Xu Saihan looked at the woman who was speaking, her lips were red and white, her words were gentle and lovely, her fingers were fair, holding a spoon, she blew gently on the edge of her mouth, drinking soup with an elegant demeanor.

  Xu Saille was already hungry, "Alright, I'm starving, don't say anymore, hurry up and get two bowls of identical mutton soup."

  Shen Shuxian raised her head and smiled at the two of them, "It tastes very good."

  In the candlelight, Xu Saihan was a bit stunned. She was truly beautiful, wearing that white cotton-padded jacket, set off by the white snow on the ground, and those melancholy eyes, as if, as if, as if she were a rabbit spirit?

  Not yet hitting the rabbit, first met the rabbit spirit, charming and wronged eyes, heavy-hearted, what is she thinking.

  Xu Saille suddenly felt embarrassed, her brother was like a pervert, had never seen a girl or what, so she kicked him hard under the table.

  Xu Saihan finally came back to his senses.

  It turns out that there is such a thing as love at first sight in the world. You should always dress beautifully, because you never know when you will meet your Prince Charming in life.

  Shen Shuxian continued eating, Xu Sairen was already starving and kept asking, "Is it delicious? Does it smell good?"

  After a while, the two people's mutton soup was also served, and the aroma filled their nostrils. Xu Sairen couldn't help but quickly pick up a spoonful to her mouth, chewed it, and complained, "What's this? Not even a hint of salt flavor! My dad is still a salt merchant, I should have brought a few bags over."

  Shen Shuxian chuckled and pointed at the salt dish on the table, saying to Xu Sailing, "This is something that you add according to your own taste."