Meng Qingping glanced at his donkey cart again, feeling it was almost full, and worried about buying too much, fearing the cart wouldn't hold it.
Fu Xinci felt sorry for their donkey, which not only had to pull the goods but also carry the two of them, grandfather and granddaughter.
Meng Qingping looked around the shops again and finally asked his granddaughter, "Ci'er, is there anything else you want to buy?"
Fu Xinci thought for a moment and said to her grandfather, "Grandfather, wait for me." Then she walked into the general store they had just passed. The oil-paper umbrellas she had bought before had long since run out, and she intended to buy several more this time.
When Meng Qingping saw his granddaughter emerge from the general store holding a stack of oil-paper umbrellas, he almost burst into laughter, for he already knew the purpose behind her purchase.
Fu Xinci felt no guilt or embarrassment at her grandfather's amusement. Instead, after climbing onto the donkey cart and settling in, she handed her grandfather a small oil-paper packet.
"What delicious food is this, wrapped so tightly?"
Hearing her grandfather speak with such genuine curiosity, Fu Xinci did not disappoint him. "Grandfather will know when he opens it."
Fu Xinci didn't say that the journey to Liaodong had made her feel dizzy from the sun, and she had really wanted to eat this. However, the fishy aroma was too strong, and even though her mouth watered with desire, she hadn't dared to take a bite.
Meng Qingping opened the oil-paper packet. When he saw the three plump, crispy yellow croakers wrapped inside, he was immediately flustered.
"Ci'er." He cautiously glanced around, and seeing no one nearby, he spoke to his granddaughter with relief, "Ci'er, you must not take things out like this again."
"Grandfather, I know. It's just that I saw it was getting late, and I thought you might need something to tide you over before we head back."
Meng Qingping remembered that Wang Laoda would be accompanying them on their return journey, and it wouldn't be proper for them to eat alone. Knowing that his granddaughter had his best interests at heart, he said no more.
On the way back, with Wang Laoda as their companion, the grandfather and granddaughter did not feel bored.
Wang Laoda was quite talkative and told them almost all the interesting happenings in the town, including the panic their purchase of four cleavers had caused their neighbors.
Fu Xinci leaned against the donkey cart, closing her eyes to rest. Listening to Wang Laoda's description, she almost burst out laughing. These people were truly amusing.
Meng Qingping, however, did not share the sentiment. This was a border region, and it suggested that things here were not as peaceful as they appeared on the surface, which was why the townsfolk were easily thrown into a panic by minor events.
With an interesting companion, the hour-long journey felt remarkably short.
Wang Laoda proved to be just such an engaging companion, and his chatter made the journey fly by for the grandfather and granddaughter. By the time they reached the area under the jurisdiction of the garrison, they felt a lingering sense of not wanting the conversation to end.
The approaching patrol squad greeted them as they saw the three of them.
"Uncle Meng, Brother Wang."
"Hey."
"Hey, you're on patrol?" Due to his younger brother, Wang Laoda was very familiar with the soldiers in the garrison.
"Yes, Brother Wang. We are on patrol. Da Bao is helping the villagers build houses. You can find him in the village."
"Alright, you go ahead. I'll go to the village with Uncle Meng."
Looking at the group of energetic and spirited young men, Meng Qingping felt as if he had aged a few years, let alone the already young Wang Laoda.
"Two years ago, when they were recruiting soldiers here, I wanted to join, but I didn't have the cleverness of Lao San, so he beat me to it."
During the remaining part of the journey to the village, the grandfather and granddaughter became the ideal listeners for Wang Laoda's complaints.
Fu Xinci never expected that the tall and burly Wang Laoda would also have such a soft, complaining side. He looked incredibly endearing.
For a moment, Fu Xinci thought he was a little like Yu'er when he was being spoiled.
Fortunately, after turning this small bend, they could see the open area ahead.
However, the open area that had been quiet when they left that morning was now a hive of activity.
From a distance, they saw Old Jin leading people and measuring the foundation for the Meng clan's houses.
Wang Laoda called out loudly, "Uncle Jin, busy?"
"Yes." Old Jin looked up and saw it was Wang Laoda, and Meng Qingping driving the donkey cart behind him. He smiled and said, "Da Fu is here. Oh, this cart is full of good things. Did Second Brother Meng buy all this?"
"Some of it is ours, and some is for a few other families," Meng Qingping replied truthfully, as he always did, with no reason to hide anything in front of everyone.
The Meng clansmen, who had been busy working, also eyed the goods on the ox cart and donkey cart with longing. However, with Old Jin present, they dared not say a word.
Only Meng Wuye was bold enough, and as he usually did, he approached Meng Qingping to strike up a conversation. "Second Brother, when you go to town next time, could you help our family buy some urgently needed items?"
"Certainly. I'll let you know in advance next time I go to town," Meng Qingping readily agreed.
"Thank you, Second Brother." Meng Wuye was surprised by Meng Qingping's prompt acceptance, and his face, no longer accustomed to a pampered life, was filled with gratitude.
Others nearby, seeing that the perpetually stubborn Meng Wuye had actually responded to Meng Wuye, cast envious glances his way.
Those who were usually close to Meng Wuye even came over to discuss with him, "Fifth Brother, can you also help us talk to Second Brother and ask him to bring us some items? Like iron pots, for example. Captain Jin has also given us grain, so we can't eat raw rice every day."
"..." Just as Meng Wuye was struggling with how to talk to his second brother, he heard Old Jin speak. "If you want to buy iron pots, that's easy." With that, Old Jin raised his arm and called out to Wang Laoda, "Da Fu, someone here wants to buy iron pots. When you come back later, listen to them and tell me how many pots they want to buy, so you'll have an idea."
"Alright, thank you, Uncle Jin."
Wang Laoda hadn't expected that by helping Uncle Meng deliver one load, he would return with orders from over ten households.
Meng Qingping wanted to keep him for lunch, but he couldn't convince him to stay.
Wang Laoda was in a hurry; he knew his family's situation well. The small stock they had at home had been bought by Uncle Meng in one go. The goods ordered by these people would require them to work late into the night for several days to produce.
Just thinking about it was tiring, for those were all hammered out by the three of them, one hammer blow at a time.
However, when he thought about the money they would receive, Wang Laoda couldn't stop smiling. "Giddy-up, giddy-up!" The sound of him driving the ox cart was different from usual.
Wang Dabao heard that his elder brother had arrived and wanted to have a few private words with him, but in the blink of an eye, he was already driving the ox cart away.
He was left standing alone in the scorching sun, bewildered. He wondered what had gotten into his elder brother.
Later, Old Jin told him that his family had received over a dozen orders and that his elder brother was eager to return to work.