CHAPTER 89: CHAPTER 88: IT SOFTENS WHEN SOAKED IN HOT WATER

Yu Xiaolian took advantage of Yu Changhe and Sun not paying attention and sneaked into the Su Family’s courtyard.

She brought a set of toiletries to Su Jingchen and explained their usage in detail.

Su Jingchen stared at those fresh-smelling daily essentials, his eyes flickered, but he restrained himself from asking anything, only saying thank you.

The next day, Yu Changhe set up the carriage, and Yu Xiaolian moved all the prepared items onto it.

Just as the two were about to set off, Sun suddenly staggered, saying she felt dizzy and unsteady on her feet, making Yu Changhe instantly anxious.

Yu Xiaolian quickly said, "Dad, Mom’s health is unstable due to the pregnancy, she needs someone by her side. Why don’t you stay home and care for Mom? I can go to Grandma’s by myself."

Yu Changhe frowned and said, "No, I can’t let you, a young girl, travel alone. I’m not comfortable with that."

"Then you’ll just leave Mom alone at home?" Yu Xiaolian countered.

Yu Changhe looked troubled and said, "I don’t feel safe with either of you. I’m worried if your mom is alone at home, and I’m worried about you traveling to Upper River Bay alone."

Yu Xiaolian reasoned, "I can travel alone; didn’t I drive the carriage when coming to Yangcheng?"

Seeing Yu Changhe still reluctant to agree, Yu Xiaolian added, "Dad, don’t worry. I have a spatial power, so if there’s any danger on the road, I can hide in the space where no one can find me.

Besides, the road from Yangcheng to Upper River Bay is flat with no mountain bandits or anything; it’s quite safe."

Yu Xiaolian’s reasoning was sound, and seeing Sun’s frail state made Yu Changhe agree reluctantly, but he kept reminding Yu Xiaolian, if she were to meet any road robbers, to abandon the carriage and hide in the space to save her life.

After repeated assurances from Yu Xiaolian to Yu Changhe, she took the geographical map she bought last time and set off.

Her stature was a bit short, making it a bit difficult to mount the carriage, requiring her to jump from the ground first.

Regardless of elegance, she hopped onto the carriage; her fisherman hat and black cotton mask along with the gray linen autumn clothes Sun had just made for her made it hard to tell her gender.

Yu Xiaolian had traveled the route between River Bay Town and Yangcheng once before, and she wouldn’t lose her way.

Moreover, in ancient times, there weren’t many interconnected, crisscrossing roads; just a few intersections on the way to River Bay Town, very easy to remember.

She could find her way without looking at the map.

This time, she drove the carriage much faster than before, but when she arrived at River Bay Town, it was still getting dark. Winter was approaching, and days grew shorter.

Yu Xiaolian didn’t plan to stay at an inn in River Bay Town; she simply drove the carriage toward Upper River Bay.

Luckily, by the time darkness fully set in, Yu Xiaolian reached Upper River Bay Village.

Nearing the village, Yu Xiaolian took out chunks of pork and beef from her spatial power and placed them on the carriage.

Guided by her memories, Yu Xiaolian drove the carriage to the gate of Sun Family’s courtyard.

The Sun Family’s chimney was spewing thick smoke, but there was no light inside, suggesting they had finished dinner and were warming themselves by the stove.

Yu Xiaolian shouted, and soon her uncle Sun Fengshou heard the commotion and came out of the house.

"Is something the matter?"

Sun Fengshou tilted his head and scrutinized Yu Xiaolian, assuming she was a passerby seeking shelter.

"Uncle, it’s me!" Yu Xiaolian quickly took off her mask and fisherman hat.

Sun Fengshou squinted and looked closely, "Are you... Yu Xiaolian?"

Yu Xiaolian nodded helplessly, thinking I called you uncle, and your uncertain tone makes me feel like you have many nieces.

In fact, Sun Family only had Sun and her brother, so Sun Fengshou had only one niece, Yu Xiaolian.

However, in some time, there should be two more.

"Oh, it’s so late, why have you come?"

Sun Fengshou said as he went to lift the carriage curtain, "Is your mom on the carriage? Why didn’t you hire a cart? A carriage is much more expensive."

"Mom didn’t come, Uncle. I’ve been traveling all day and I’m exhausted. Please open the main gate and let me drive the carriage into the courtyard."

Hearing Sun hadn’t returned, Sun Fengshou was momentarily stunned and exclaimed, "Didn’t your mom return? Did you travel back alone?"

"Uncle, I’ll tell you more inside later. Let me drive the carriage in first and unload it."

Upon hearing Sun hadn’t returned, Sun Fengshou grew uneasy, worried something might have happened to her. Though eager to find out what happened, he went to open the wooden fence gate, allowing Yu Xiaolian to drive the carriage into the courtyard.

Xu and Little Tiger also came out upon hearing the noise, and Yu Xiaolian called them to help move the stuff.

Rice, white flour, pork, beef, white sugar, brown sugar, various biscuits, and bread.

They moved things back and forth several times before they managed to bring everything inside.

Yu Xiaolian asked Sun Fengshou to help unload the carriage so it could rest after a day’s travel.

Sun Fengshou helped feed the horse water and threw a bundle of straw for it to eat.

Seeing the straw, Yu Xiaolian quickly asked, "Uncle, how was the rice harvest this year?"

Sun Fengshou sighed, "Not good, only half the yield compared to last year."

It seems Sun’s worries were justified; Sun Family was indeed having a hard time.

When Yu Xiaolian and Sun Fengshou finished feeding the horse and entered the house, Xu had already lit the oil lamp and was looking over the things Yu Xiaolian brought.

"Mom, my elder sister must’ve struck it rich to bring so many good things home; wow, this rice is as white as pearls, how much does it cost?"

After checking the rice bag, Xu untied the rope on the flour sack and exclaimed again, "Mom, look, this bag isn’t coarse flour; it’s a full bag of white flour."

Sun Fengshou’s son Little Tiger also opened a parchment pack, seeing the biscuits inside, he jumped joyously, picking one up to eat.

Sun Fengshou coughed unhappily and scolded Little Tiger, "That’s something your aunt brought as respect for your grandmother; you dare to eat it?"

Little Tiger, seeing Sun Fengshou glare at him, reluctantly put the biscuit back.

Not letting her son eat made Xu displeased, she scowled at Sun Fengshou, "So many packs of snacks, how can only Mom eat them? Is Mom your biological mother while the son is picked up from the streets?"

"What kind of words are those? Of course, Tiger is my biological son. But with good stuff, elders should always eat first; after all, these things were brought back by Xiaolian on elder sister’s behalf as filial offerings.

You usually say so many bad things about my elder sister, and now you’re thrilled about her bringing back these things. You are really..."

Grandmother Sun saw the two seemingly about to argue and quickly tugged at Sun Fengshou’s clothes, pulling him back.

"Fengshou, normally your elder sister adores Little Tiger the most. Surely, she bought these snacks knowing Tiger loves them."

Grandmother Sun pushed Sun Fengshou behind and handed the cookies to her grandson, "Tiger, go ahead and eat. Grandma only has a few teeth left; I can’t bite this hard stuff; porridge is enough for me."

Little Tiger held the cookies, looking left and right; although the cookies seemed delicious, the atmosphere at home made him hesitate to eat.

"Grandma, I won’t eat them. If you think it’s too hard, I can soften it with hot water."