Pickled cabbage and pork buns

The woman strode over in a few steps, caught her hand, and pulled her away. "Come on, sister, let's go. Everyone else should leave too. Don't stay here and get yourself framed for nothing. That old wretch inside won't let any of us off."

The people around them shared the sentiment deeply. Apart from a few who had come for treatment and were still lingering uncertainly at the entrance, all the onlookers dispersed, afraid the scrawny boy kneeling at the door might collapse at their feet.

Su Yuhe glanced back and met the eyes hidden beneath his stray hair. They were hollow. He was clearly looking at her, yet no tangible gaze fell on her, and the sight made her heart tighten.

The woman released her hand and cautioned her, "Don't pity him. Birds of a feather flock under the same roof. They nearly pinned it on you just now."

She forced a smile. "Thank you, sister. Let me treat you to a bowl of wontons."

The kindhearted woman waved and headed in the opposite direction. "No need for wontons. It was nothing. I'm heading home."

She watched the kindhearted woman leave, then looked toward the clinic entrance again.

She had seen that boy just last night. He had been timid and hesitant, looking as cowardly as a mouse. She had never expected him to kneel outside the clinic under everyone's scornful gaze.

Su Yuhe stopped thinking about it and headed toward the ox cart.

Lu Mingyi was curled up on the ox cart with straw on his head, his handsome little face buried between his knees. She gently patted his shoulder, and he raised his head like a startled fawn.

Only when he saw it was her did his whole body relax. "Wife."

Su Yuhe climbed onto the ox cart. Second Sister Li irritably flicked the rope in her hand. "Why isn't this person here yet? How long have we been waiting? If we keep waiting, the whole afternoon will go to waste."

"Did you agree on a time?"

"No."

She did not want to wait anymore. She still had to go home and copy books. The time spent waiting would have been enough for her to copy several pages.

Su Yuhe looked around. "All right. Since they aren't here yet, I'll go buy a few more things over there."

Second Sister Li looked in the direction she pointed. "Sure, go ahead. I'll call you when they get here."

She went to the roadside and bought two pickled cabbage and pork buns. It was already afternoon, and they had not eaten lunch, so they ought to be hungry by now.

Lu Mingyi took the steaming bun, hesitating over whether to eat it. Su Yuhe guided his hand to push the bun toward his mouth. "You must be hungry after coming out all this way. Go on, eat."

She had wanted a bowl of wontons to go with it, but she was afraid the other passenger would arrive just as they started eating.

Second Sister Li turned at the smell. "That smells wonderful. Just looking at it makes my mouth water. How much is one?"

Su Yuhe took a bite. Pickled cabbage, pork, and fluffy dough-a perfectly balanced deliciousness. "Five wen each."

"There's meat in it too. That's a good deal." Second Sister Li glanced at it twice more. Seeing how much she enjoyed it, her mouth kept watering. "I'll go buy one to try too. Wait a moment for me, sister."

"All right."

Lu Mingyi ate in tiny bites. Su Yuhe finished hers in a few mouthfuls, while he had eaten only a little less than half, picking off the outer dough without touching the filling.

When he saw that the pickled cabbage and pork bun in her hand was completely gone, he promptly offered her his. "Wife, have this."

"You eat it. I'm full."

He wrapped what remained in oiled paper. Su Yuhe hurriedly stopped him. "Just eat it. You don't need to save any for them. We'll buy another two for them before we head back."

Lu Mingyi shook his head and stubbornly wrapped up the oiled paper. "You've spent too much on Mingyi today."

"It's five wen. Just eat it. The doctor even refunded one qian just now. That's enough for twenty pickled cabbage and pork buns."

"Three pickled cabbage and pork buns cost fifteen wen. That's enough to buy half a jin of pork." Realizing his words were inappropriate, Lu Mingyi softened his tone. "In a few days, once Mingyi has the household affairs fully in hand, I'll find work to help with the household expenses."

Su Yuhe took the oiled-paper parcel from his hands, unwrapped it, took out the remaining pickled cabbage and pork bun, and broke off a piece to hold to his lips. "Just eat. There are so many chores at home. Handling them all on your own is hard enough. You don't need to work as well."

That was the good thing about the three additional government slaves in her home: they were considerate, shared her housework, and thought of her.

Lu Mingyi froze for a moment, but still opened his mouth and ate it. "Thank you, Wife."

Second Sister Li returned carrying two buns. "There are so many people at that bun shop. Looks like they must taste good."

Perhaps it was his imagination, but he actually tasted a hint of sweetness in this pickled cabbage and pork bun.

Watching Second Sister Li take great bites, Su Yuhe could not help craving some.

The one she had just eaten had whetted her appetite. She was neither hungry nor full and wanted some more.

Once Second Sister Li had finished both buns, she looked around. Not a single person seemed to be heading toward the ox cart, and she could not help asking, "Did that person say where they were going? How long have we been waiting? It'll be dark if we wait much longer."

Second Sister Li jumped off the ox cart irritably. "Exactly. What a waste of time. I'll go take a look. Wait here for me a moment."

"All right, go ahead. I'll watch things here."

Su Yuhe reached back and stroked Lu Mingyi's head. He was curled into a ball, his whole head almost buried against her shoulder. He seemed very ill at ease with the outside world.

She understood that feeling all too well.

She had been the same when she first transmigrated.

Before transmigrating, she had buried herself in her studies at school, moving between the classroom, sports field, cafeteria, dormitory, and restroom in an endlessly repeating five-point routine.

Living in a small county town, she had either stayed home during holidays or gone to the mall with friends to play claw machines, drink milk tea, and eat grilled meat, hot pot, barbecue, and fried skewers. Her daily routines and social interactions had followed fixed tracks.

After transmigrating, she had found herself in an unfamiliar place among strangers, constantly afraid of being harmed. Every gaze that fell on her had been terrifying.

"Don't be afraid."

Lu Mingyi had lived through the darkest moments of his life. A few vile looks could not actually hurt him. It was just that he had finally glimpsed a little light, and he did not want that light destroyed.

He had always known that without enough strength, beauty was an extraordinarily terrible gift.

His wife looked far too weak. She had no vast wealth, no family background, no scholarly rank to her name. Even her body was so frail that a gust of wind looked capable of blowing her over.

As she was, he could not rest easy relying on her.

"Mm."

His forehead rested against Su Yuhe's shoulder, and he could easily smell the soap pod scent on her, exactly the same as his own. As he breathed it in, he grew a little drowsy.

Second Sister Li left and did not return. Seeing the sky beginning to darken, Su Yuhe grew somewhat angry. She wanted to look for her but did not know where to go.

She had bought quite a few things at the market, so walking home was impractical. She would have to take this ox cart. But after making her wait so long for nothing, if she did not give vent to her anger, they really would take her for someone molded from clay.

After another wait, Second Sister Li finally returned, but there was no one behind her.

Su Yuhe's expression turned cold. "You were gone so long it's already dark. If I'd known, I wouldn't have taken your ox cart. What a waste of time."