Chapter 202

After lunch, Xu Ran bought something in the town and went back to the village.

He didn’t go directly through the exit of the village, but the entrance of the village. Xu Ran stopped the carriage in front of the Xu family’s house and knocked on the door.

Xu Hui opened the door again, and said nothing to Xu Ran. Xu Ran didn’t want to say anything either. He just handed him a piece of meat he bought in the town. It was totally fat meat. They could eat the meat directly or press oil, so they could improve their lives in the next few days.

Xu Hui took the meat and stayed silent for a long time before saying “Thanks”.

Xu Ran didn’t care, “Take the meat in! It’s hot now. Remember to tell granddaddy not to reserve it too long.”

Xu Ran finished speaking and turned around. He got into the carriage and drove away.

Xu Hui stood at the door with the meat in his hand and looked at the carriage with envy.

However, he got disappointed soon. The carriage belonged to his uncle, also with the family name of Xu. It had nothing to do with him after all.

The meat in his hand was heavy. Xu Hui looked at it for a while and took it into the house. Xu Hui knew he would eat meat tonight, so he couldn’t help licking his lips.

After Xu Ran got home, he asked Gao Quan to unload everything he bought and put them at home. He gave the snacks to Liu Tong and asked him to distribute to kids. He went back to his room alone and started to think hard about what else people could eat in the summer in this era.

Bean jelly and cold noodles were fine, but the price couldn’t be too high. Otherwise, few people would buy. As for other food, Xu Ran didn’t know if they could make it here. After all, he was neither a chef nor a gastrosoph, and he did not know much about this.

Xu Ran stayed in his room for almost an afternoon since he came home. Liu Tong knocked on the door at sunset.

“Ran, you’ve been in the room for the whole afternoon. Are you alright?”

When Xu Ran heard Liu Tong, he opened the door for him. Looking at the worried look on his face, he felt guilty, “Tongtong, I’m fine. I’m just thinking about something. I shouldn’t have made you worried. Sorry.”

Liu Tong shook his head, “Not at all. I am glad you’re fine. I was worried that you might be unhappy. I’ll make you crispy pork slice tonight! It seems we have never tasted it before.”

Crispy pork slice!

Xu Ran’s eyes brightened and he got an idea immediately.

He said to Liu Tong, “Tongtong, let’s go to the small river to fish tomorrow! We’ve been busy for so long. Let’s take a rest and have fun.”

Liu Tong naturally wouldn’t object. He had experienced a lot in the past few days, which gave him a new understanding of the outside world. He wouldn’t blindly think that the outside world was great.

Liu Tong nodded with a smile, “It’s up to you. Do you want to bring Guoguo and Tangtang? If just the two of us go, they might be disappointed.”

Xu Ran said, “They have to go to school tomorrow, so let them decide! If they’re willing to go, I’ll talk to Fuzi. If they’re not, you and will go.  We can catch many fish for them.”

Liu Tong nodded, “Okay, I’m going to cook. Don’t always stay in the room. You can sit in the yard and talk to Shu Wen and the others, or you can hold Baozi.”

“Mm.” Xu Ran walked out of the room and walked down with Liu Tong hand in hand.

It was getting hot now. Qin Shuwen didn’t always stay in the room, but often carried the two children in the yard.

The two children were placed on the stone table while Qin Shuwen sat aside and watched.

Xu Ran was glad that he had been prescient and made a big table. Otherwise, the table couldn’t accommodate two children, or they would fall off if they turned over.

At this time, Xu Ran recalled that he said he would make a trolley for the two children.

He touched his forehead and felt upset for being oblivious now.

Liu Tong felt the change in his mood and asked, “Ran, what’s wrong with you?”

Xu Ran said, “Tongtong, I forgot something again. You just go to cook! I’ll go to Wu Mei’s first. If I don’t go today, I’ll probably forget it tomorrow.”

“Oh,” Liu Tong was about to nod when he saw that Xu Ran was going to leave. He pulled him back, “Ran, wait, it’s not polite for you to go there empty-handed. I guess you want Brother Xu An to help you make something, and you should bring a little gift.  I will go to fry the meat now. You can take a bowl of crispy pork slice to him later, all right?”

Xu Ran thought it was not proper to go to their house empty-handed at dinner time. Besides, maybe Xu An wouldn’t charge for making the trolley, so it was better to bring him a little gift.

Xu Ran nodded, “Alright, I will fry the meat with you before it gets dark. I’ll take it there when it’s done.”

Liu Tong said, “Shao Yu is also in the kitchen, so you don’t have to cook. Go and see Baozi! We were away for many days, and we’ve been always busy since we came back. If you don’t hold him now, he might get unfamiliar with you!”

Liu Tong smiled and left. Xu Ran rubbed his nose helplessly from behind. He wondered why his spouse started joking because he clearly used to be a very serious person.

On the other hand, it was fine as long as he was happy.

There was no need for Xu Ran to cook, so he sat opposite to Qin Shuwen and entertained the kids together.

After a while, Liu Tong came out with a bowl of crispy pork slice.  It was freshly cooked with oil still bubbling.

“It smells so good! Tongtong, is this for us?”  Qin Shuwen stood up the moment he smelled the fragrance. Seeing the golden meat, he was really greedy.

Liu Tong said, “No, Ran will bring this over to Wu Mei. Ran wants to ask Brother Xu An for help, so I think he should bring a bowl of meat over. If you want to eat, I will bring another bowl later. Shao Yu is still frying it.”

Xu Ran took the hot bowl and wrapped it with the handkerchief from Liu Tong. He waved at them, “I’m off. I’ll be back later.”

“It’s getting dark. Come back early. We’ll wait for you for supper.” Liu Tong reminded him from behind.

“Got it!” Xu Ran replied and opened the door and left.

After Xu Ran left, Qin Shuwen let Liu Tong watch the kids and he slipped to the kitchen to see Shao Yu.

Seeing that he was too impatient to wait, Liu Tong chuckled. He wondered why such a good-looking person liked eating so much. On the other hand, Qin Shuwen looked very beautiful even when he was gobbling food.

Liu Tong touched his face and did not feel inferior. He knew that Ran did not care much about appearance, because he was not very beautiful but Ran still loved him. Ran had both money and the title now, so it was easy to take a concubine, but he didn’t. Ran said that he was the only one.

Liu Tong was happy and his smile got bigger.

…

Xu Ran went to Wu Mei’s house and found Dahu and Yueya’er were playing in the yard.

It was then that Xu Ran recalled he didn’t see his two children when he went out. He didn’t know where they had run.

When Dahu and Yueya’er saw Xu Ran, they ran over to greet him, “Hello, Uncle Xu Ran.”

Xu Ran touched their heads with one hand and saw the two children staring curiously at the bowl in the other hand.

Xu Ran wanted to entertain them, so he deliberately raised the bowl high so that they could not see the meat. Xu Ran asked Dahu, “Where’s your Dad? It’s so late. Hasn’t he returned home yet?”

Although Dahu did not see what was in Xu Ran’s bowl, he answered Xu Ran seriously, “Dad is doing carpentry work in the room and Daddy is cutting grass for pigs. Uncle Xu Ran, have you had dinner?”

Xu Ran shook his head, “I haven’t yet. Dahu, do you want me to eat here?”

Dahu scratched his head, “Uncle Xu Ran, I can’t cook. Wait until Daddy finishes the grass. OK?” After that, he emphasized, “It wouldn’t be long.”

Dahu was so funny that Xu Ran couldn’t help but laugh. Wu Mei heard the laughter and walked out of the room.

He found it was Xu Ran and said, “I didn’t expect you would come at this time. Come in! Xu An is doing carpentry work.”

Xu Ran walked over and handed the bowl to Wu Mei, “It’s so late. I can’t believe Xu An is still doing carpentry work! Could he see clearly?”

Wu Mei said, “No problem. He is familiar with this. Besides, we have the lights on.”

Wu Mei shook the bowl in his hand, “You were in town today?”

Xu Ran nodded, “Yes. This crispy pork slice is freshly fried and it is still hot. Give it to Dahu and the others! I will talk to Brother Xu An.”

Wu Mei said, “Okay, go! He is in the room.”

One room of the house was specially spared so that Xu An could do carpentry work. Xu Ran often went in, so he found Xu An easily.

Xu Ran greeted with a smile, “Brother Xu An.”

Xu An looked up and found that it was Xu Ran, “You are back! I haven’t seen you for long.”

Xu Ran nodded, “I’ve been back for a few days, but I’ve been busy planting trees, so I didn’t come to see you.”

Xu An stopped his work and said to Xu Juan, “I know how busy you are. Why are you here at this time? It’s already dark. Have you had dinner?”

Xu Ran shook his head, “Not yet. I come here to ask for help.”

“For help? I will definitely try my best to help you.” Xu An said.

Xu Ran said as he gestured, “I want to make a trolley for the kids. It’s hot now and it’s not proper to hold them all the time.”

“A trolley? What kind? Like the one I am making now?” Xu An pointed to a trolley that was nearly done beside him and asked.

Xu Ran shook his head, “No, I want it made with bamboo. It should be more complicated and more exquisite.”

Xu An touched his head, “I don’t understand. You have to draw a rough diagram for me.”

Xu Ran said, “I can’t draw well, but I know the general profile. Let me tell you what to do.”

Xu Ran started to gesture to Xu An as he said this. He even piled some unused wood in a shape. He said so much that his mouth was dry and finally Xu An got a general idea.

Xu Ran said, “Brother Xu An, I want it made with bamboo. I will bring you the diagram tomorrow. When you make it, I will come over and tell you the details, just like before.”

Xu An nodded, “Alright, it will be fine as long as you come over. In that case, I wouldn’t make mistakes.”