When Erniang finished hanging the clothes, Xiaomi had already taken a clay pot from the kitchen and put the small fish from the wooden basin into it, while secretly adding over ten more from the space.
"Mom, I’m going to find Xiaocao now."
"Go ahead, co back early for lunch, and don’t eat at soone else’s house."
In these tis, everyone struggles with just one al; eating is not easy.
As for Xiaomi taking the small fish to find Xiaocao, Erniang didn’t pay much attention to it at all.
It’s not sothing valuable, and besides, the family has been doing better over the years, never lacking fish or at, so she’s beco less concerned with such things.
Yesterday when they returned, Xiaocao showed her where her house was, so it was easy to recognize.
Moreover, Xiaocao said that in the mornings they usually tidy up the courtyard, do laundry, find wild boar grass, and feed the chickens. They only go to the mountain to dig bamboo shoots in the afternoons.
So they should still be ho at this ti.
Xiaomi went to find Xiaocao with purpose, and those small fish were a eting gift.
On the way, she t her father carrying wild boar grass back ho, and Xiaomi explained where she was going.
Xiangmu Village is not small; it’s much bigger than Fu’an Village. Although there are mountains around, there’s still plenty of plantable land in the middle, and there are many terraced fields on the surrounding slopes as well.
The estates have house slaves or hired farrs who live in connected houses, while the real villagers live separately, with relatively smaller houses.
On the way, she encountered two other children weeding in the field, and Xiaomi just gave a simple greeting.
When she guessed she was at the right place, Xiaomi called out Xiaocao’s na loudly, and a voice ca from the house behind her.
"Xiaomi? What are you shouting for over there?" Who else could it be but Xiaocao?
Xiaomi quickly turned around: "Oh, so this is where you live, I got the wrong place."
Xiaocao waved at Xiaomi, indicating for her to co over first: "That’s Zhang An’s house, their family went into town early this morning. By the way, what are you doing with a pot?"
Xiaomi showed off by handing her the pot to see: "These are the small fish I caught myself; I caught a lot, and these are for you. Fish soup is really tasty."
"So many small fish." Xiaocao’s eyes lit up: "Xiaomi, you’re amazing. These small fish are so slippery, they’re really hard to catch."
Xiaomi raised her chin proudly: "Of course not, I used earthworms as bait and caught them in no ti."
Seeing Xiao Cao still standing there looking, she directly handed the clay pot to Xiao Cao’s arms: "Stop looking, put it in the kitchen first."
Xiao Cao hesitated a bit while holding the clay pot: "You brought so many fish; won’t your family say anything?"
So many small fish, if taken to the city, could fetch a few copper coins.
"Why worry? My mom saw pack them, she knows."
Xiaocao imdiately smiled with crescent eyes: "Thank you, Xiaomi."
Xiaomi followed Xiaocao into her house, taking the opportunity to size up the surroundings. It was an adobe tile house, but the foundation over a ter high was made of stones.
This was already quite a good house, Xiaomi muttered to herself.
Her family was able to achieve in a few short years what it took many ordinary people, perhaps several generations, because of the Spiritual Spring water.
Without the Spiritual Spring, she and Jiang Wei might not even have survived, and Erniang would definitely have been left with lasting health issues, and the others wouldn’t fare much better.
For their family, being barely able to not starve was already a blessing from the heavens. Even if they could survive the first year, they’d just barely get by afterwards.
So regarding Xiaocao’s family situation, Xiaomi only had one thought.
No wonder Xiaocao has such a straightforward and easy-going personality. It turns out her family condition isn’t bad. At least they don’t go hungry, and their house is spacious enough to boost their confidence levels.
Xiaocao poured the fish from the clay pot into a wooden basin and covered them with a bamboo sieve to prevent them from jumping out.
Then she rummaged around in the stove quickly and pulled out two baked sweet potatoes.
"Xiaomi, try this. This is from the sweet potatoes we grew last year, really delicious. I heard it’s a good variety brought from outside by the Surna Agricultural Minister."
Surna Agricultural Minister?
Xiaomi wondered to herself if this was the sa person who, during tax collection season every year, seed like they’d rather strip their house clean?
But on the surface, she still joyfully accepted: "Wow, such big sweet potatoes."
Then splitting it open: "Slls so good!"
Taking a bite: "So sweet!"
Not holding back on praising: "Thank you, Xiaocao."
Xiaocao was even happier: "No need to thank . By the way, Xiaomi, I’m going to find so pig grass, what about you?"
"I’ll go with you, anyway, I’ve got nothing to do by myself."
And so, the two of them ate the baked sweet potatoes while heading with Xiaocao to find wild boar grass.
As you see, a child’s friendship is quickly ford.
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