"Ah, you're back." Zhao Yu was still running her stall beside the bluestone road in town as usual. When she saw Chen Mo, she was both surprised and delighted.
She hurriedly wanted to ask how he had done in this imperial examination and whether he had passed.
But deep down, Zhao Yu predicted that Chen Mo had probably passed.
After all, Chen Mo wore a smile on his face the whole time. If he had failed to obtain an official title, he would not have been this happy.
"Let's go home first." Chen Mo smiled at her, walked over to the handcart, and helped remove the coarse-cloth awning.
He was a little taller than Zhao Yu, so doing this was easier for him.
"All right." Zhao Yu nodded with a smile. This was what they did every time Chen Mo came home during his leave.
She would close up shop and rest for a day, then go back to help Chen Mo prepare food, boil the nourishing medicinal soup he needed for martial practice, wash his clothes, fold them, and send them to the military camp.
As for the dirty clothes he brought back, Zhao Yu would find time to wash and dry them, waiting for Chen Mo to return and collect them during his next leave.
There were not many customers at the little food stall in the morning. Zhao Yu simply tidied up the bowls, chopsticks, tables, and chairs, then brought Chen Mo two stacks of meat pies.
"Eat these for now. Yesterday, I heard that a cow in Gejia Village had fallen and broken its leg beyond treatment. There might be beef at the market today. I'll buy some for you later." Zhao Yu smiled and leaned close to Chen Mo as she spoke softly.
Cattle were