19: Chapter 19 Go Home (2)_1 19: Chapter 19 Go Home (2)_1 Lady Du’s worried look was not lost on Cai Wei.
She played with the ends of her hair that hung down over her chest and reassured her mother with a dismissive snort, “Mother, they’re nothing more than mere troublemakers.
You don’t need to be afraid.
I have plans to put an end to their schemes.”
As she spoke, the carriage came to a stop.
Cai Wei lifted the carriage curtain.
In front of her was her family’s short and dilapidated home, a sparse fence wall, and the towering poplar tree by the front door.
Under the tree, three small figures anxiously searched the surroundings.
On seeing the people in the carriage, the little figures ran towards them joyfully.
The sweet calls sounded like a warm gentle breeze, bringing an unexplainable pleasure to the listener’s ear.
Smiling, Cai Wei opened her arms cheerfully.
“Don’t run; be careful with the eggs!” Lady Du sitting in front of Cai Wei, cried out anxiously.
The little ones stopped in their tracks, their bright eyes staring in surprise at Lady Du.
The youngest, Wu’er, hearing word ‘eggs’, slurped, his mouth watering.
He seemed to see a bowl of hot, tender egg cakes, with a few spots of oil still floating on top…
In the past, they kept chickens at home, and her mother would occasionally steam an egg cake for them.
But that was more than half a year ago.
To gather money for their father’s business, they had sold all of their chickens.
They hadn’t tasted an egg for almost half a year now.
“There are not only eggs, mother also bought meat buns and pan cakes for you.
Your sister also bought lots of fatty pork.
They’re all in the carriage.
Quickly go and bring them…”, Lady Du urged laughingly.
Upon hearing their mother’s words, the children cheered and ran towards the carriage.
They reached out anxiously, “Older sister, did you really buy so many things?”
“Older sister, I’ll help bring it in, I’m coming…”
“Alright, don’t push!” Cai Wei picked up the sack full of rice.
“Wen’er, you and Second Sister carry this sack of rice.”
“Wu’er, take the meat buns and pancakes to the room…”
The children were hopping with joy; they were happier than on New Year’s Day.
Mother and Older sister had brought them a bag full of rice and a basket full of eggs…
You must know, ordinarily only during the New Year would dad buy two catties of rice.
Only on New Year’s Eve, the whole family could have a meal of white rice, and each person could only have one bowl.
As for white flour, you would only get to eat a bowl of noodles if it was someone’s birthday.
On usual days, the family would eat soup made with cornmeal mixed with coarse grains.
Even this meal of cornmeal soup could not be eaten till they were full…
As for luxuries like meat buns and sugar figurines, each cost two or three copper coins, which they did not even dare to dream about.
They could only manage a taste of them in their dreams…
Fei’er, upon catching sight of the brightly colored cotton cloth, could not move her eyes away.
She was ten years old and had never worn a new dress, always having to make do with her sister’s hand-me-downs.
Her sister’s dresses were not good either.
They were coarse clothes in an earthy hue, the natural color of the fabric as it came out of the loom without any bleaching or dying.
As it was the cheapest cloth, all garments worn by the young and old in their home were made of this earthy coarse cloth.
God knows, how much she longed as a young girl to have a colorful outfit without patches.
Imagine how beautiful it would be if a piece of cloth gorgeous yellow cotton could be made into a small jacket!
The items were moved into the room one by one.
The children sat on the kang (traditional Chinese bed-stove), happy and excited, examining the new things Cai Wei had brought.
They kept gasping in admiration.
Dim candlelight reflected on their innocent faces, their eyes filled with surprise and excitement which was so moving and heartfelt.
Cai Wei felt that there couldn’t possibly be a moment more fulfilling in her life than this one!