Lin Lan wanted to carry Xiaowang on her back, but he refused, so she led him home as she carried the cotton and pastries on her back.
When she got home, she found that the door was slightly ajar and there was no one at home. She guessed that they all went to work.
She opened the door and entered the house. Xiaowang went to play with the little duck and the flute while Lin Lan packed up the cotton. There, she found a telegram on the table.
It was sent to Han Qingsong by the army, containing a swift message: return quickly.
Did something happen to the troops recently? She thought.
According to the plot, he should have changed his career and lived at home by this time. Then, the original owner suspected that he was cheating on her every day, which he was very upset about.
In this life, perhaps because of her, he hadn’t actually changed his career choice until now. Could it be because of the butterfly effect(1)?
(T/N: The phenomenon in which that one small action can change the outcome of a situation drastically)
She wanted to ask Han Qingsong about it, but she never saw him.
Lin Lan cooked some food first.
She wanted to make something delicious for the children. First, she cut the wheat pastries given by the third aunt into steamed slices and smeared some oil in a hot pan. She then fried them in the pot.
Soon, the aroma was fragrant and the dried steamed buns were fried to brown on both sides. Unfortunately, there was too little oil to directly fry until they were golden brown.
After frying the dried steamed buns, Lin Lan called Xiaowang over to have his meal and then started to do other things.
The lentils and eggplants were stewed whereas the pancakes were placed on the side of the pot. This would make her job simpler and more convenient.
Now that the food was divided, Lin Lan not only ate cornmeal, but mixed one-third of the flour in it. This was to make sure that the children could eat more nutritious and digestible foods.
“Mother, what are you cooking? It smells great!” Sanwang’s sharp nose led him to run home as he followed the fragrance. When he saw the dried buns, he went to get them.
Lin Lan gave him a piece, “Where does your father work?”
Sanwang was chewing on the steamed bread slices, “It’s really fragrant. Who gave you pastries, our aunt? …About father? I saw him hurriedly rushing out like wildfire.”
Lin Lan took out the telegram, “Is this telegram from today?”
“Yeah… Mother, wait up, I’ll find out some news for you,” He held the steamed bun and ran out.
“Slow down, don’t fall!” Lin Lan called to him.
Soon, Erwang and Maisui came back together. They went to mow the grass and returned with some firewood, which were all dead branches that fell from the forest.
The children were very happy to see the steamed bread slices.
Lin Lan asked about Dawang. This child was also very elusive— she thought that she had gotten a little closer to him, but he didn’t really seem like it now.
Maisui was eating the dry steamed buns, “What can my eldest brother do… fight perhaps? Oh yes, grandmother went to the county town to send something to our youngest uncle. With how it was clinking, there’s definitely got to be some money inside.”
Lin Lan frowned as she wondered why the old lady didn’t have her other grandchildren send it for her. After all, she always liked to do so.
Dawang was another matter as well. Was the youngest uncle that attractive? To the point where he just goes to town almost daily?
When that kid comes home, I’m going to teach him a lesson.
Lin Lan had Maisui set the fire before she spread out the cotton she brought back and patted it, scheduling to dry it tomorrow.