In a blink, half a month had passed.
Last night, an autumn rain silently came and went, and early the next day, dawn broke in the east again.
Shen Qinglan collected half a month’s wages with Old Tang, took a day off, and bought a bunch of delicious snacks and drinks to take home.
September in Lishui Village was filled with busy scenes everywhere.
From the moment Shen Qinglan entered the village, she had already encountered several people passing by carrying rice.
Some she knew, some she didn’t.
If she didn’t know them, she would usually just walk by; if she knew them, she would nod and greet them proactively.
When she returned home, only her younger brother Shen Qingping and cousin Shen Qing’an were in the yard playing with mud, and the others were nowhere to be seen.
Seeing her come in, the two of them stopped playing, put down the crooked mud figurines, and ran towards her.
"Third Sister, you’re back!"
Shen Qingping ran up with a face full of joy.
Shen Qing’an said, "Qinglan sis, where have you been? I haven’t seen you for ages!"
Before Shen Qinglan could speak, Shen Qingping already answered for her: "Didn’t Grandma tell you? Third Sister went to earn big money! She’s working in the town, earning a lot every month!"
After speaking, both of them stared expectantly at Shen Qinglan.
Shen Qinglan said, "You two go wash the mud off your hands first, I’ll give you something tasty later."
Upon hearing there was something tasty, their eyes lit up.
They hurriedly ran to wash their hands, though dirt still clung to their wrists when they returned.
Shen Qinglan placed things on the bamboo bed in the yard and whispered, "Wash again, more thoroughly this time."
Upon hearing this, neither dared to refuse, quickly went to wash again, and inspected their hands thoroughly before returning to Shen Qinglan’s side.
"Third Sister, look, we washed them clean, and I even helped Qing’an wash,"
Shen Qingping said, showing Shen Qinglan the front and back of his hands.
Shen Qing’an watched and did the same.
Shen Qinglan nodded, took a package of pastries wrapped in oil paper from the bamboo basket, and handed it to them, saying, "Rice cakes, share them."
"Thank you, Third Sister!"
Shen Qingping took it first, then pulled Shen Qing’an aside to sit down, unwrapped the oil paper, divided the cakes, and started eating.
Shen Qinglan carried the items to the kitchen to put them away and asked Shen Qingping, "Where did Dad, Mom, Big Sister, and Second Brother go?"
"Big Sister and Second Brother are at the drying yard," Shen Qingping said, "They went early in the morning to secure a spot."
Lishui Village has a designated area for drying grains, but to get a good spot, you must go early. If you go late, you might not find a place to dry them.
Some who can’t find a spot have to dry them in front of their own homes.
"How do you get to the drying yard?"
Shen Qinglan hadn’t been there, and the original owner didn’t have any impression of it either.
Shen Qingping said, "It’s quite far, by the broken temple in the west. From our house, it takes quite a while."
"How long is quite a while?" Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow.
Shen Qingping thought for a moment and said, "From here, it’s like going to Yingyang River, back and forth..."
He hesitated for a moment and finally said, "Lots of trips worth that long!"
That question was pointless!
"Qinglan sis, are you going there?"
Shen Qing’an asked while holding a rice cake, eating and talking. Fınd the newest release on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒•𝙣𝙚𝙩
Shen Qinglan nodded, "Yes, I’ll go check it out."
Shen Qing’an said, "I’ll take you there!"
After speaking, he wrapped the remaining rice cakes with oil paper, then got up and walked up to Shen Qinglan.