Lin Wan didn’t refute, she simply lowered her head and agreed. She knew that doing business was looked down upon.
Ever since coming back from Little Grandmother’s house, Lin Wan hadn’t left the house again.
Winter was cold, and there was no need for farm work at home now.
Mom, unable to stay idle, was at home peeling peanuts to pass the time.
A week after returning, Ye Qing suddenly came to play with her.
She remembered last year when she came back for the winter vacation, Ye Qing had also looked for her, saying there was a performance in the neighboring town tomorrow.
Asked if she wanted to go watch it together. Back then, Mom was washing sheets at the health clinic in town, the family was raising pigs, her brother worked at the lumber mill, and during the day she needed to take care of the house and feed the pigs, so she didn’t go.
"Xiao Wan, are you going? It’s in Huai Town, only a dozen miles away, not far at all."
Huai Town? Isn’t that the town where she does business? She wanted to go to the camp to inquire about Han Yi’s situation.
Er Qiangzi said he went to the front and wouldn’t be returning. Lin Wan thought for a long time and then remembered, there was a battle at this time that lasted a whole month. Many people died. Afterwards, the fighting continued intermittently for many years. She knew Han Yi would definitely return alive, but she didn’t know when he would come back. She wanted to go to the camp to ask about Han Yi’s news.
"Xiaoqing, I just got back, and there are still many things at home I haven’t done yet. I won’t go." She wanted to go, but not with Ye Qing.
The commotion of setting up a stage in Huai Town meant Er Qiangzi would surely be there too, and she didn’t want to encounter him.
Ye Qing didn’t expect Lin Wan to refuse, a fleeting disappointment flickered in her eyes, noticed by Lin Wan despite its brevity.
Could it be that Ye Qing had some ulterior motive?
In her past life, she hadn’t gone and Ye Qing must have been disappointed too, but regrettably, she had no intentions of going this time either.
"Are you really not going? I’ve heard it’s Hua Mulan they’re performing, and it’s really good," Ye Qing persisted, undeterred.
Lin Wan shook her head, "I’m not going. My brother is sick, and the pigs and chickens at home need my care. You guys go ahead."
"Well...alright then," Ye Qing paused, thinking that a great opportunity was missed.
Not every household has money, during the New Year, even meat was eaten sparingly. Living in a village, eating well was somewhat of a luxury.
During New Year, most dishes on the households’ tables were vegetarian. What they never lacked here were vegetables.
At the end of the village river, there were plenty of wild fish, and her brother, feeling better these days, went to the river with a fish basket to catch fish.
Lin Wan also took a basket and went along.
At this time, every family was out catching fish, placing a dozen or so fish baskets along the riverbank for hundreds of meters.
Lin Wan walked back and forth along the river with a pair of tongs, finding quite a few river clams and snails, occasionally even a small crab under the stones.
"Ah Wan, Ah Hui, you’re here to catch fish too?" It was then that Ye Rong, Ye Qing’s older brother, came to retrieve their family’s fish basket.
"Yes, Brother Ah Rong, your haul is quite good this time," Lin Yinghui, who was in the water then, helped bring out the fish basket, which contained four or five fish.
"It’s alright, but they’re too small. With so many at home, it’s not enough. Just catching a few fish so there’d be a hard dish when the relatives arrive," Ye Rong laughed heartily.
Lin Wan observed Ye Rong, speaking sincerely with her brother, unlike Ye Qing, who was superficially inconsistent.
Did Ye Qing have some misunderstanding about her?
Lin Wan frowned deeply, perplexed.
On the twenty-eighth of the lunar month, Lin Wan made a trip to the camp in Huai Town. She waited at the entrance for half a day. There wasn’t anyone she knew.
The soldiers guarding the gate were like statues, not giving her a sidelong glance.
Lin Wan had no choice but to return home disappointed.
Luckily in Huai Town, she hadn’t encountered any of Er Qiangzi’s associates.