Chapter 78: The Feeling of Striving to Ensure Good Logistics and Meals

“I brought you some things.”

Shopkeeper Sun quietly slipped away, leaving a peaceful space for the few of them to chat.

Leng Chen blinked, holding back tears. “I have money with me, and the shopkeeper said we get one day off every ten days. I can go home for the New Year on the twenty-eighth of the twelfth lunar month and come back on the seventh day of the first lunar month.”

“We have a cart, so shopping is quick. Besides, I always have to buy things anyway. I got you cotton cloth for washing your face and feet, and a wooden basin, so you don’t have to borrow from others. There’s also enough food for today. Eldest Brother said he’ll bring you food tomorrow. From now on, just like your eldest brother, we’ll bring you more food when the weather is good. If it’s raining or snowing heavily and we can’t make it, don’t be stingy with your money—buy some for yourself.” Wen Nuan Nuan looked at the two silent figures beside her and automatically took over the conversation.

Seeing Leng Chen’s eyes growing redder, the reluctance Wen Nuan Nuan had barely managed to suppress welled up again.

Noticing how Leng Chen pressed his lips tightly together, she also knew that, as Leng Xiao had said, as long as he knew something was the right thing to do, he would see it through even if he had to crawl on his knees. Whether he was happy or not simply wasn’t part of their consideration.

Afraid of inadvertently adding to the sorrow of parting and making him feel even worse, Wen Nuan Nuan quickly changed the subject and praised, “I just heard the shopkeeper praising you! I never expected someone as young as you could already read the Four Books and Five Classics fluently!”

That’s amazing.

“Children of the Leng Family start their education at four, recognize a thousand characters by six, and are familiar with the Four Books and Five Classics by seven. Except for Eldest Brother, the three of us only started our education at seven. Now, at nine, we can barely read them fluently.” Leng Chen’s expression darkened.

Wen Nuan Nuan deeply realized she wasn’t suited to praising people!

She had praised him incorrectly again!

It really wasn’t her fault. Earlier, Eldest Brother had said he wasn’t good at studying and had only learned a few characters, about as many as Leng Chen and Leng Yun knew. How was she supposed to know that they could now recognize a thousand characters and read articles?

Why did she believe everything others said?

Their definitions of “simple” and “barely” were clearly not the same as hers.

“Sister-in-law, don’t worry. I’ve already decided on the path I want to take in the future, and I’ll walk it unwaveringly.” In their family, having Eldest Brother as the scholar was enough.

As for him, he only needed to support Eldest Brother.

Wen Nuan Nuan deeply agreed with this: “Studying this is very good. Whether in times of chaos or prosperity, it’s practical and beneficial both to others and to oneself.”

Medicine had always been the most practical profession, unaffected by droughts or floods, and one that grew more valued with age and experience.

Having someone in the family studying medicine benefited the entire household.

She now realized that although Leng Chen usually spoke little and occasionally seemed gloomy, he unexpectedly had a heart that cared for the world.

People with great vision and broad-mindedness were truly different!

“Stay here with peace of mind and study hard. Sister-in-law will make delicious food for you at home!” Wen Nuan Nuan felt increasingly affectionate toward Leng Chen. Such a young child not only had to live alone but also had to study and work—even worse than her own childhood.

At least when she was young, she only had to go to school.

Reluctantly waving goodbye, the bright smile on Leng Chen’s little face faded as the carriage gradually moved away and disappeared from sight.

Eldest Brother had been right before: without ability, you couldn’t take care of or protect anything.

And if he wanted to protect them, now was the best opportunity to learn skills.

Still, he couldn’t help feeling a bit reluctant—reluctant to leave that joyful, warm home, reluctant to part from them.

He could endure it. He needed to have the skill and ability to be useful.

After returning home, Wen Nuan Nuan still felt a bit unaccustomed for a while.

She had gone out happily, and running into that annoying Wang Shijin was one thing, but why had Leng Chen suddenly decided to become an apprentice at the pharmacy?

There had been no signs at all.

She had never heard him express interest in medicine before.

She had always thought his hobby was weaving, especially since his hands were exceptionally nimble. Bamboo strips behaved obediently in his hands, transforming into various shapes.

Those hands were also remarkably steady when sanding wooden bowls and bamboo tubes.

Now, those hands would be handling medicine, picking up silver needles, and perhaps even setting broken bones.

But thinking about it, it was actually quite good. After all, compared to wielding a knife and doing bloody work skillfully in the future, learning medicine had always been a practical and useful skill.

Leng Tian followed her into the kitchen. Watching Wen Nuan Nuan scooping flour while steaming pumpkin, he advised, “Sister-in-law, you’re feeling carsick and uncomfortable. Let me cook.”

“No need. The way back was better than going there.” Mainly, she was used to vomiting on an empty stomach by now, so Wen Nuan Nuan didn’t mind much. “I want to make more fresh food for Second Brother and send it over while the snow has melted and the roads are passable these two days. His work is quite demanding, so he needs to keep up his nutrition.”

She rarely used to make complex and refined foods.

First, because she was lazy.

Second, because she thought eating simply was fine. It’s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury back to frugality.

But now, Wen Nuan Nuan’s mind was filled only with thoughts of making some fresh, nutritious, and delicious food for Leng Chen.

She couldn’t help him with other things there, so she could only try her best to provide food, making sure he ate well and was full.

“Weren’t the meat buns and crispy pancakes we made before fine? Why not just bring those?” Hadn’t they made a lot? Why wasn’t Sister-in-law resting first and specifically making food for Second Brother?

Wen Nuan Nuan explained all her considerations: “Those are all made with white flour, too conspicuous. All the other workers around him are apprentices. Their living standards can’t compare to Eldest Brother’s classmates at the Academy.

Today, the shopkeeper just praised him for being literate and for getting right to work with the pharmacy chores. If he suddenly starts eating too well, I’m worried he’ll be ostracized by his peers.”

“What about the corn for feeding the horses in the back room? Send that over?! That’s good too. We used to eat that all the time before. It’s especially filling.” Leng Tian thought what his sister-in-law said made sense and immediately suggested.

Wen Nuan Nuan had already decided what to make in her mind. Hearing Leng Tian’s words, she resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Forget it. Eldest Brother is straightforward. Don’t get angry. Just explain it to him properly.

“We can’t wrong ourselves just because we’re afraid of being ostracized. Harming our own interests is the least cost-effective thing! What we need to do is bury the meat in the bowl when eating, so others won’t know.”

Seeing Leng Tian still looking confused, Wen Nuan Nuan continued to explain: “We can mix pumpkin or cornmeal with white flour. It will look like coarse flour, and actually, mixing them like this is better than using plain white flour alone.”

Coarse grains are more nutritious.

“And the filling shouldn’t be pure meat either. Pure meat is conspicuous, and just eating meat and flour isn’t good. He needs to eat vegetables too.

I’ve thought it through. We’ll make some green vegetable and mushroom meat buns, shredded radish meat buns, pickled vegetable meat buns, and spicy tofu meat buns. That way, he’ll have both meat and vegetables in every meal.

It’s cold now, so they can keep for several days. Also, take some of the fresh eggs we’ve saved and bring them to him. Tell him not to skimp and to boil two to eat every morning.” The buns would be steamed and brought over together. With the current sub-zero temperatures, they could keep for several days. He just needs to heat them up at mealtime.

If it’s dumplings, they can’t be brought cooked; they’re not easy to store and inconvenient to eat.

After thinking for a moment, she added, “I’ll also make some rabbit meat and pheasant. For us mountain folk, eating game is normal, so it won’t stand out too much.”

Leng Tian listened and simply nodded. “Sister-in-law, you’re very thoughtful.”

Sister-in-law had considered so much for them.

Why hadn’t he thought about these things?

Unlike before leaving home, when she had only thought about slacking off, Wen Nuan Nuan was now especially proactive in making buns and cooking dishes.

Her heart and mind were filled with the desire to prepare plenty of food for Leng Chen, who was alone outside.

Having never even been in a relationship, Wen Nuan Nuan felt she was already experiencing the feelings of being a mother in advance.

It was the kind of feeling where, as the child grows up, you can’t help with their studies anymore, so you can only focus on providing good logistical support and meals.