Tian shi looked at the dumplings in the large pot, which were almost done. She fished out one and placed it on a small plate, wanting her second uncle to taste if it was cooked.
Oh my, Yu'er and Bao'er, seeing Tian shi carrying a small plate with a plump, white dumpling on it, walking towards their grandfather (great-grandfather), became extremely excited.
"Second Uncle, please taste if this dumpling is cooked yet?"
"Alright, I'll taste it."
Grandpa Meng took the plate and chopsticks, and saw that both children's eyes had fallen into the plate. He smiled and said, "You two sit properly. I'll give you some to eat shortly."
As Grandpa Meng spoke, he used his chopsticks to split the plump, white dumpling in half, looking at the skin and filling. He knew it was cooked without needing to taste it.
Hearing her second uncle say the dumplings were cooked, Tian shi immediately took a slotted spoon and began scooping dumplings into a small ceramic basin.
Without waiting for her grandfather's instruction, Fu Xin Ci took a large plate and asked Aunt Cheng to scoop a few dumplings onto it. These were for Yu'er and Bao'er to cool.
Grandpa Meng had already cooled a dumpling and was feeding Yu'er and Bao'er bite by bite.
The two little ones ate, each taking large bites, and in a few moments, the plump dumplings were finished by them.
Seeing her grandfather about to feed Bao'er, Fu Xin Ci spoke up, "Grandfather, you take Yu'er to eat dumplings, I'll feed Bao'er."
"Ci'er..." Grandpa Meng wanted his granddaughter to eat with him, but looking at the people around, it really wasn't appropriate, so he said no more.
Fu Xin Ci took a small plate and used her chopsticks to pick up a dumpling she had just helped cool into the plate.
Bao'er, trying to please his little aunt, offered to sit while he ate standing up.
Fu Xin Ci, however, used her foot to hook a wooden stool closer. "Bao'er, quickly sit down."
"Okay."
By now, it was getting dark. Meng Qi Shan, following Meng Qi Cheng, lit several torches in the courtyard, making the place brightly illuminated.
Two square tables had already been moved into the courtyard. Grandpa Meng sat in the main seat, and invited Meng Qing Huai to sit on his left and his son on his right.
Yu'er originally wanted to sit next to his father, but seeing his sister feeding Bao'er dumplings, he couldn't sit still. He also wanted his sister to feed him.
Seeing Yu'er holding his small bowl and walking over, Fu Xin Ci kindly took Yu'er's small bowl.
"Sister." Yu'er revealed a mouthful of tiny teeth.
"Sit down, eat with Bao'er."
"Mm-hmm."
Yu'er sat next to Bao'er, his little hands resting on his sister's knees, his small mouth wide open, waiting to be fed by his sister.
Seeing his little uncle's adorable behavior, Bao'er, imitating him, also opened his mouth wide.
Looking at the two little birds in front of them, seemingly waiting to be fed, Fu Xin Ci's mood greatly improved.
The adults eating dumplings at the square tables all looked over. Seeing the two boys eating happily and vying to be fed by Xin Ci, they couldn't help but chuckle.
After dinner, Fang Shi, along with Tian Shi and Zhong Shi, cleaned the kitchen.
Nuan Xin and her sister also wanted to help, but Fang Shi refused.
"You two sisters should go back with Ci'er and get some rest early," Fang Shi said. Then, as if remembering something, she returned to the room they were staying in and took out a paper packet, handing it to Nuan Xin.
"When I bathed you two today, I saw that your hair was full of lice. That little thing doesn't come off with just one or two washes. Take this medicine back and use it again tomorrow morning."
"Yes, thank you, Madam." Nuan Xin took the medicated powder for lice, took a few steps back, and with her sister, followed Fu Xin Ci back to the small building behind.
Fu Xin Ci had been waiting for the sisters on the bluestone-paved path. Seeing them approach, she led them directly back to the small building.
Watching her daughter and the Nuan Xin sisters disappear into the darkness, Fu Yu mused that she would need to light more torches tomorrow so her daughter wouldn't have to walk in the dark.
Fu Xin Ci, however, didn't mind. She had several flashlights in her space, large, small, and miniature.
It was just that it was difficult to take them out in this era, and she wouldn't know how to explain it (she felt annoyed by how many times she had to go over this).
Besides, there was a moon tonight, and by its hazy light, they easily walked back to the small building.
When they entered the small building, Fu Xin Ci first found the oil lamp on the windowsill near the door.
The moonlight shone through the glass window, clearly illuminating the objects on the windowsill.
Nuan Xin, with her keen senses, picked up a fire starter nearby and lit the oil lamp.
Under the lamplight, a shadow fell across Nuan Xin's profile. She lowered her eyelids, her gaze never meeting Fu Xin Ci's.
Fu Xin Ci did not force it, and merely reminded her in a low voice, "There is an oil lamp in the west room, go and get it and light it."
"Yes, Miss."
"Nuan Xin, you can just call me by my name."
"How can that be? Miss bought us sisters, so she is our mistress."
"Here we go again."
Nuan Xin: ...
"Nuan Xin, the night is boundless tonight. We can talk about other things, or we can both go to our rooms to wash up and rest early."
"Yes."
"That's great."
Seeing that Nuan Xin no longer called her "Miss," Fu Xin Ci took the oil lamp and returned to the east room.
Seeing the main room plunged into darkness again, Nuan Nuan timidly moved closer to her sister. "Don't be afraid," Nuan Xin said. She then turned around, locked the front door, and holding her sister's hand, returned to the west room.
By the moonlight and the memory of the day, she easily found the oil lamp. After lighting it, she took off her shoes, got onto the heated brick bed, and pulled closed the curtains.
Fu Xin Ci returned to the east room, first placing the oil lamp on the table, then locking the door. After that, she took off her shoes, got onto the heated brick bed, and pulled closed the curtains.
She had chosen the color of these curtains herself; they were the color of a clear summer sky.
She liked this color. Not only was it pure, but it also made one feel cheerful.
She glanced again at the simple furnishings in the room. Without regard for the quiet sobbing of the sisters in the west room, she went to the washroom to clean up.
She felt a bit tired. After a hurried wash, she extinguished the oil lamp.
Lying in bed, she suddenly remembered that Xiao Bai was still in the space. She muttered to herself, "Not good."
She rushed into the space as if her backside were on fire. Seeing that there was no scene of the Erha dog wreaking havoc, she finally felt relieved.
Xiao Bai: How could it dare? The human's dog face is sour. If it dared to mess up this place, the human, in anger, could twist its head off and use it as a ball to kick.
For the sake of its own safety, it dared not act rashly.
However, it had eaten so many potato chips. It wondered if the human would become angry.
Fu Xin Ci was not stingy. Seeing that Xiao Bai had only eaten a few bags of potato chips and had even managed to put the packaging together without scattering it everywhere, she gave it a thumbs-up in admiration.