Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

Chapter 98: Chapter 96 Uninvited Guest: Liu Sisi Gets Lost

“Ahem! Shopkeeper—”

Liu Sisi’s slender fingers tapped gently on the counter, her eyebrows and eyes curved in a charming arc.

Nan Tianzong jolted back to reality, instinctively wanting to use the book in his hand to block her view. Then he suddenly realized that he had been holding the Classic of Poetry upside down without even noticing, and his face turned beet red.

Like throwing a hot potato, he discarded the book in his hand, leaned down, shifted his direction, picked up a brush-pen, and started writing. He sneered coldly.

“What do you know? I am trying to read upside down on purpose, so I can recite it back-to-front. What are you still doing here? I’m hungry, you better go buy some noodles for me to eat.”

“Buy… noodles? If you’re hungry, why don’t you go eat by yourself?”

Liu Sisi was somewhat surprised that Nan Tianzong actually asked her to run errands and buy noodles for him!

Nan Tianzong didn’t say much more and directly took out twenty copper coins from the counter: “Go to the alley on the left, where there’s an Auntie selling noodles. Take the two kids with you, and don’t say that I’m harsh on them by not even allowing them to have lunch.”

After speaking, he buried his head back into his writing and refused to talk anymore.

He’s actually inviting their children for lunch!

At that moment, Liu Sisi’s worries were put to rest!

She initially thought that Nan Tianzong dislikes the children very much, but it turns out that he’s quite caring!

“Thank you, shopkeeper! I’ll take the children to eat noodles then.”

Liu Sisi happily put down the feather duster in her hand and called out to the two children, “Xuan’er, YingEr, let’s go. We’re having lunch outside.”

It was hard on the two children who had quietly played in the corner all morning. At this moment, hearing Liu Sisi’s call, they quickly scampered out.

“Mom, where are we going for lunch? Didn’t you say we have no money left?”

Mature YingEr came up to Liu Sisi with head tilted up, asking her.

Having picked her up, Liu Sisi then led Di Xuan out of the bookstore: “Today, the lunch is on the shopkeeper! Let’s go and eat noodles!” While saying so, she hastened towards the noodle stand Nan Tianzong had mentioned.

For this meal, Liu Sisi felt that she hadn’t taken advantage of him.

Although she agreed to let the two children work today without pay, working ten days a month for a total of 500 copper coins, they were paid 50 coins a day. In this small town, it’s indeed considered high pay and demands literate people who can read and write! How many real scholars would be willing to swallow their pride and work as a waiter?

Literacy is an intangible asset!

As such, 50 copper coins a day is honestly not expensive!

Now that she has foregone the 50 copper coins in wages and spent over a dozen coins on his noodles, no matter how she does the math, she’s on the losing end!

The three left, Nan Tianzong threw the brush-pen down casually, scratched his head in pain, and drooped his usually upturned mouth. He knew how stiff his smile was, but after wearing the mask for a long time, it was as if it grew on his face. He couldn’t take it off, and gradually it became the signature of him, Nan Tianzong.

Speaking of that woman… maybe he’s been too busy lately, and hasn’t been with a woman for a long time…

That’s it!

It must be like that!

That’s why when he sees a sow, he thinks it’s Diao Chan!

He hadn’t been to Yihong Courtyard for a long time, so it seemed tonight he would have to make time to go there and vent his frustration!

As soon as the idea was formed, his mood inexplicably improved a lot, and the usual gentle and elegant smile appeared on his face as he picked up the brush-pen again and doodled earnestly.

Liu Sisi took the two children according to Nan Tianzong’s guidance, turned left into a small alley, looked up and saw a tent on the roadside, where an elder lady with white hair was making planed noodles.

Although this was just a small alley, there were quite a few people eating noodles. When Liu Sisi and the two kids arrived, all four tables were full of people.

Finally, when someone left, Liu Sisi hurriedly settled the children down and then said to the elder lady, “Shopkeeper, I want two bowls of minced meat noodles and a bowl of vegetarian noodles. The other bowl to be packed and taken away is for the bookstore owner next door. He said to tell you and you would know which noodles he wants.”

Old Lady Cao paused in her noodle-making and glanced at Liu Sisi before continuing her work, laughing and saying, “You must be the new waiter at Little Nanzi’s shop? I’ve heard him mention you, saying that you are capable and resourceful.”

“Pfft! Little Nanzi…”

Liu Sisi couldn’t help but laugh.

Wasn’t this the name used for eunuchs in old TV dramas? Little Dongzi, Little Liz, Little Kouzi… Now that Aunt Cao called him Little Nanzi, Liu Sisi’s first reaction was naturally to laugh.

“Isn’t it! Calling him Little Nanzi is more endearing!”

Old Lady Cao put down her dough and smiled at Liu Sisi. She stirred the planed noodles in the pot, then quickly put chopped vegetables in a colander to blanch them, and began arranging the bowls.

“Little Nanzi is kind-hearted and has a good mind. He opens his shop inconsistently, working for three days and taking two days off. I’ve long advised him to hire a waiter so the shop could be open on non-Market Days, and still make some profit. Keeping the shop closed every day like this causes more loss than gain, don’t you think?”

You’re right, Auntie! But he didn’t let Little Four open the shop on cold days. So…”

Liu Sisi smiled, not understanding Nan Tianzong’s thoughts, but since he would do this, he must have his reasons; she wouldn’t deliberately look for trouble.

“That’s true. Little Nanzi may seem easy-going, but once he makes a decision, it’s hard for others to change it.”

While chatting, Old Lady Cao picked up the blanched vegetable leaves and put them at the bottom of the bowl, scooped up planed noodles on top, added two heaping spoonfuls of minced meat sauce, and finally sprinkled chopped green onions.

“Here! Hurry up and bring it to the children! They must be hungry.” Old Lady Cao looked kind and loving.

Liu Sisi looked down and saw that the three bowls of noodles had a moderate portion, but the amount of minced meat sauce on top was about twice as much as in other people’s bowls!

“But Auntie, Little Four asked for two bowls of minced meat noodles and a bowl of vegetarian noodles just now…”

“Silly girl, this is what Auntie is treating you to, hurry up and give it to the children.”

Liu Sisi wanted to say more, but the people waiting at the neighboring table couldn’t wait any longer!

“Aunt Cao, how much longer do I have to wait for my noodles?”

“It’s coming, it’s coming, right away!”

At the moment, Aunt Cao didn’t have time to entertain her any longer and hurriedly continued making noodles.

Liu Sisi had no choice but to thank her and carry the noodles to the children.

Both kids were already hungry, and they each picked up their bamboo chopsticks and began eating the fragrant noodles as soon as they were served. Liu Sisi, of course, was no exception.

Meanwhile, in the bookstore, Nan Tianzong was currently engrossed in doodling on paper.

At that moment, a soft sound of footsteps approached, and he instinctively looked up to see a man walking straight towards the counter.