***

"An’an doesn't want meat buns. An’an only wants mother." An An circled her arms around Gu Chunzhu's neck then leaned on her.

Gu Chunzhu felt the warmth of the little girl's tears on her neck, this little rascal had actually started crying.

She felt distressed and funny.

She now surpassed the meat buns in An An's heart.

Xiaocheng saw that Gu Chunzhu couldn't cook. He lightly tugged An An and said,

"Come down, your brother is hungry and wants to eat."

Gu Chunzhu was satisfied to see him express his thoughts, but An An turned and shook her head at him.

When Gu Chunzhu was a child, she remembers being left in her grandparent's house in her previous life.

She also hoped that her parents would pick her up every day. She didn't want Xiaocheng and An An to live such a life.

"Alright, tomorrow I'll go to town and sell shrimps for half a day."

Gu Chunzhu held An An with one hand and stretched out her little fingers.

An An's soft radish-like little thumb hung on her hand.

The little girl issued a satisfied "hum".

After setting down An'an on the dining table, two streaks of tears were on the little girl's face, pitiful like a puppy.

Gu Chunzhu took out the osmanthus candy they didn't finish yesterday and divided it between the two children.

She smiled and went back to cook.

After cooking the rice, she put it aside and covered it with a bowl upside down to prevent it from cooling.

They have previously eaten the large intestines. This time, Gu Chunzhu cut the pig's lungs into thin slices and fried it crispy along with Chinese cabbage and vinegar.

Immediately after Su Wangqin was finished, he came back carrying two buckets of shrimp.

"Brother Wang, I have something to tell you." Looking at the shrimps, Gu Chunzhu put the rice out and urged Xiao Cheng to serve. She told Su Wangqin: "I think I'll sell shrimps in town for just half a day. I'm not at ease leaving the two children at home."

"Okay" Su Wangqin agreed in one breath and has no objection to Gu Chunzhu's decision.

"There have been fewer shrimps in the river recently. Sister Fu has been fishing for a whole day and only got half a barrel.

Lao san told me that he spent money to fish in the next village for a day. The people in the next village were red eyed and also wanted to learn how to fish for shrimps. This business may not last long."

(Red eyed = an expression of envy and jealousy)

Su Wangqin expressed his worries.

"I've asked elder brother Dafu if there's available work for me in town."

"Alright, we'll think about something else."

Gu Chunzhu responded and the family of four began to eat.

While eating, a person came back to deliver shrimp.

"Brother Wangqin is eating."

The visitor was not embarrassed either. He put the barrel at the kitchen door and looked at them

Su Wangqin set his bowl down, wanting to figure out how many bowls of shrimps were in the bucket, but Gu Chunzhu held him down.

Gu Chunzhu's eyes dimmed. These people have threatened their children. She hadn't settled the account yet!

"We are eating. We've been running in town all day and we're starving. Wait until we finish," Gu Chunzhu wasn't polite either.

What they paid them was also their hard earned money. They don't take their shrimps for nothing or just to listen to whatever they want.

"Well, you eat first. I'll wait by the side." The comer leaned on the kitchen door whilst the cold wind blew, making the person shiver.

Even with a spectator, the temperature in the stove room remained warm.

After a while, several people arrived and waited outside. Su Wangqin felt embarrassed, he scooped up his rice faster and ate it quickly.

Gu Chunzhu glanced over and said nothing.

After Su Wangqin took note of the river shrimps sent by these people, Gu Chunzhu said lightly while collecting the bowls: "We will accept the river shrimps you sent for today, but we will collect them again in the next three days. We'll not collect more than four barrels."

"Why?!" Questions were raised among those people.

"Didn't Qiu tell you? Our business isn't doing well and we're afraid of using your money."

Gu Chunzhu's tone was rigid.

Su Wangqin has a pushover personality and the two children in her family are still too young. She had to be tough so they won't get bullied.

The group said a few good words but Gu Chunzhu's mind didn't change.

They all complained about Qiu thinking that her broken mouth made Gu Chunzhu unhappy.

When the shrimp sellers left, Su Wangqin hesitated and asked, "Chunzhu we're all from the same village. Can it be collected every day instead of every 3 days?"

"We have already received nearly one barrel from Sister Fu and Lao san, which is enough for me to sell for half a day. If you go to the county town everyday, it will not matter if you collect more. Don't mention human feelings. When you went hunting on the mountain and we 3 were starving, which of these villagers helped? It's a deal for us to sell shrimps for them. That's already kindness."

She analyzed the facts in front of Su Wangqin.

Apart from Sister Fu giving the children something to eat, everyone else turned a blind eye

"We'll do as you say." Su Wangqin compromised.

The next day, they packed up three barrels of shrimps to sell in town.

There were more stalls than the previous day and the competition was fierce.

Su Wangqin took two barrels to sell in a restaurant in town and only sold one and a half barrels.

After leaving a bucket and a half, the business wasn't very good. Gu Chunzhu was so sad her eyes frowned.

Suddenly a sturdy man came up from the stall, there was some wood dust on his clothes. When he saw them, he smiled and said, "Brother Wangqin, Sister-in-law."

Gu Chunzhu remembered this man, the husband of Sister Fu, Zhao Dafu, with his children doing carpentry work in town. Su Wangqin had asked him about any available work in town.

"Boss, scoop me half a bowl of shrimps, your shrimps are fresh." A repeat customer came to do business.

Gu Chunzhu had to be busy doing business first.

Zhao Dafu whispered to Su Wangqin while Gu Chunzhu listened.

After grabbing half a bowl of shrimps for the customer and collecting the copper plates, Gu Chunzhu shook her head and said, "Brother Wang, it would be hard to move the rice at the terminal, let's not count it."

Zhao Dafu also rubbed his hands in embarrassment. This job was difficult for him to ask.

He regretted: "If my brother and sister disagrees, just forget it. I happened to know the dock manager. He heard that your leg is not good. You just have to move as much as the other workers."

"I'll go. Thank you, Brother Dafu. Wait for a moment, Chunzhu and I will talk first." Su Wangqin smiled gratefully at Zhao Dafu.

Zhao Dafu also moved to the side wisely, giving the young couple time to discuss.

:

Chapters are easier and much better to read with an editor and proofreadet, Let's all thanks Shanniel and Koreok ♥️