Wen Qing took Wang Da Chuan to their new home, a two-room broken house. Because it was uninhabited for a long time, the house exuded a musty smell. It was empty and had no furniture. But the good thing was, there was still a heatable brick bed and the doors and windows could still be used. Wen Qing opened the doors and windows to ventilate first. Today, they could only temporarily make do for one night and go to buy some furniture tomorrow.
Next to the two rooms was a little wooden shed, where the original owner of the house had used to cook. Wen Qing walked in and was about to check if the pots and stoves could be used, but found that it was clean, and there were pots and pans.
Wen Qing was stunned, and immediately thought that this should have been left behind by those "stinking intellectuals."
In the original story, after Wang Wenqing broke relations with her family, she also lived in their current house. No more than 20 meters from here was the detention house, and the people who were being reformed through labor lived in it. Because people in the detention house had big appetites, they came here to cook. No one lived here anyway. Because of this, they found that there was a little girl that lived here and gave Wang Wenqing a lot of help.
But Wang Wenqing was not Wen Qing. When she cut all ties with her family, she dragged a bag of grain. When Wang Wenqing had gone out of the house, she didn't bring anything! In the beginning, those "scholars" saved a bite of food for her and didn't let her starve to death. Those people had little rations, so it was hard to eat half-full. Such precious food was kindly distributed to the original owner, but when the original owner found out that they were the "stinking intellectuals," she immediately hid away. How could this haven't made them sad?
That's why, after the reborn female lead appeared, her enthusiasm, kindness, respect, and how she never looked down on them were remarkable and made them more grateful!
Wen Qing refused to comment. She knew that these people would return to their position, their future achievements were limitless. As long as they had a normal brain, they would choose to be kind to them for greater returns.
But what the female lead had done had nothing to do with her. It was good as long as she could fulfill the client's wish. But then again, the female lead's wish was to find a good man and live a good life. If it was a good man, did it count if she trained Da Chuan into a good man and kept him for a lifetime?
Of course, Wen Qing was only thinking and quickly dismissed this idea. Although the client didn't say it clearly, it was obvious that she meant to find a husband. If she really used her younger brother to make do, wouldn't the client get angry and cry?
Wen Qing was thinking while carrying the bag of grain on her back. She found someone to exchange it with 20 jins of wheat flour, 2 Chinese cabbages, 3 eggs, and a worn quilt that was pretty new. On the way back, Wen Qing secretly brought a new quilt from Taobao and replaced it.
The golden finger she brought this time was the Taobao system. In this era, where there was a lack of clothing and food, Taobao was undoubtedly the best choice. Although having the space was not bad, this was a mortal world, so using Cultivating Immortality had a lot of restrictions. The things in the space were limited and not as complete as Taobao.
Moreover, Jiang Shu from the last life could be said to be having wealth equivalent to the entire nation. She had top up a lot of money on Taobao and there was sufficient balance for her to buy, buy, buy.
Wen Qing also brought non-eye catching oil, salt, and seasonings, as well as bowls, chopsticks, etc. She took this opportunity to bring these things home. Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain to Da Chuan how she could get so many things. When she got home, Wang Da Chuan saw that she had brought back so many things, so he hurried over to take it from her. "Jie, what did you exchange it for? There are so many things, I told you that I would go with you, but you refuse."
"It's not heavy. Today, I will make you something delicious!"
Once he heard there was something delicious, Da Chuan's eyes were sparkling, "What will you make?"
"Wait for a while, you'll know soon. You go sweep the house first, I'll call you when it's time to eat."
After sending Da Chuan away, Wen Qing entered the kitchen, kneaded noodles, chopped the filling, and wrapped the dumplings. Although dumplings were very luxurious in this era, firstly, Da Chuan had received a shock after escaping death; secondly, they'd just escaped from the sea of suffering and regained a new life. So, it was time to celebrate.
Wen Qing wrapped the cabbage and egg as the filling. Although there was no meat, Wen Qing was not stingy with the oil, so it smelled good. The dumplings were cooked, so Wen Qing washed the bowls and chopsticks she'd just bought and filled the bowl to the brim. Wen Qing carried the two bowls of dumplings to the door towards the hall. Da Chuan was cleaning the room with a handful of branches. There was no broom here, so he could only make do with this.
"Da Chuan, stop first. Come and eat." The dust flew all over the room, so Wen Qing carried the food but didn't go in. She called Da Chuan from the door.
"Jie, what did you make?" Once Wang Da Chuan heard about eating, he immediately dropped the tree branches in his hand and ran over with excitement. When he saw the two bowls of white and fat dumplings Wen Qing was holding, he stared with wide eyes. "Dumplings?! Jie, you make dumplings!"
As Wang Da Chuan spoke, without waiting for Wen Qing's reply, he immediately took one bowl, squatted at the door, and started eating. "Woah, it's delicious!" During the New Year of the Wang family, Lady Li would also make dumplings. But the amount was fixed; one person got five, no more. Because flour was expensive, they couldn't even afford to make vegetarian dumplings. However, Wang Wenqing and her brother could only watch, they didn't even get a dumpling soup.
"I took that bag of grain and exchanged some food with the villagers. I exchanged it for 20 jins of flour, 2 white cabbages, and some eggs. I remember that you've just escaped from death today, so we should celebrate. Eat slowly. In the future, you can eat as much as you want!"
Wang Da Chuan nodded as he ate, too busy to speak. After all, he was just a child and he had never eaten such good things when he grew up. Naturally, he gobbled it up like a hungry wolf.
Wen Qing saw him eating so well, she gave him a few more, but he dodged and vaguely said, "Jie, you eat too. I have enough."
Wen Qing was also afraid he would eat too much at once, and it would be bad for the stomach, so she no longer insisted. The siblings squatted on the doorstep, eating with gusto.
After they ate and drank their fill, Wen Qing felt really comfortable. Since she transmigrated into this body, every cell in her body had been screaming hunger! She'd secretly nibbled on a piece of chocolate to last until now.
Wang Da Chuan was equally bubbling with happiness. "Jie, it's good if we could eat dumplings like this every day."
Wen Qing patted his head and didn't say anything. No matter how she said it, he would not believe it in his heart. Let's just wait until it was realized.
The siblings swept the house clean and washed the pots in the kitchen, filled the used up water, and went to the mountain at the back to pick up some firewood to make up for the ones that Wen Qing had burned for cooking. When they finished all these, the sky was already dark.
"These people will be back soon. Remember what I told you!" Wen Qing warned.
"Jie, I'll remember."
Not long after, the villagers were released from work. Wen Qing watched from afar as several people entered the detention house. After a while, they came this way with a bag of things.
"Old Xu, you can just go back and rest when you are sick. I'll make the food and let Zhuang Yan send it to you!"
"It's not a problem. It's good to take a walk, I'll feel more energetic. Laying in bed made me feel like a patient, it was uncomfortable."
The sound of conversation got closer. In a while, they arrived. There were a total of four people, two old people with gray hair, one youth, and one teenager. The four of them were stunned when they saw Wen Qing and her brother. They didn't seem to expect someone here.
Wen Qing didn't speak. Wang Da Chuan stepped forward to greet them. "Grandpas, uncles, from now on, my sister and I will live here. So we're sorry to disturb you."
The villagers never had a good expression when they saw these people. To suddenly encounter such a kind young boy made Old Xu and the others feel quite surprised. They felt warm and smiled. "It's us that is disturbing you. This is where you live, but we used your kitchen. We will immediately pack our things and leave."
Wang Da Chuan said quickly, "No need, no need. You guys can continue to use it, there are only me and my sister, I may have to trouble you..." Wang Da Chuan scratched his head in embarrassment. "Grandpa, I'm sorry. We borrowed your pot today."
Xu Jian'guo waved his hand, "No big deal. No need to apologize, you guys can use it."
"Thank you, grandpa."
As they spoke, Wen Qing watched from the side and analyzed the identities of these several people.
One of them was Xu Jian'guo, who had a flushed face, dry lips, and had a military aura on him. The one wearing glasses and a gentle-looking young man was his son, Xu Niansheng. The refined and handsome young man was named Xu Zhuangyan, Xu Niansheng's son. A family of three generations.
Another old man with a somewhat refined temperament was He Qiong, who was a doctor before the revolution.
The Xu family was not an ordinary family. Even if they were now beaten into the stinking intellectuals, they had people as their backers. Otherwise, they wouldn't be sent to the foot of a mountain in the Wang family's area. The Wang family's area had a complex terrain. The surrounding mountains were steep and there was only one trail leading to the outside world. The nearest village from the Wang family's area was a two-hours walk. The village was secluded, but it became the best protection during the turmoil era. Because those Red Guards were not willing to walk for a few hours just to abuse them.
Apart from the people in the village who avoided them like tigers saying some sarcastic remarks, doing labor every day, and not getting enough to eat, there was nothing else. They were much better than others.
How many people could not withstand the pressure and committed suicide or fell ill less than two years after they came? The four of them, however, went back intact. Xu Jian'guo and He Qiong returned to their post, and they still worked for a long time.
They spoke a few more words. Wang Da Chuan followed Wen Qing into the house, leaving Xu Jian'guo and the others to cook.
Xu Jian'guo and the others went back after eating. He Qiong couldn't help but sigh, "Those siblings are really interesting."
Xu Jian'guo said, "Niansheng, you keep an eye on them tomorrow, see why these two kids moved here."
"Okay."
The next morning, Wen Qing took advantage of Da Chuan still sleeping to secretly get up and go to the mountain. After walking around, she bought a chicken and a rabbit from Taobao, deliberately choosing the one which had fur like a pheasant.
It has to be said that this Taobao was pretty easy to use. It had a complete range of things, they even had fresh products. They also had a nine-square compartment. Each compartment could hold the same items and the upper limit was 99. But Jiang Shu was smarter, she packed different things in exactly the same boxes, which took up three spaces. When Wen Qing checked it out, the 99 boxes in the first square were all filled with gold and silver jewelry, the second square was filled with antique porcelain, and the third square was filled with authentic paintings and calligraphy.
*T/N: For those who got confused, there is a nine-square grid compartment, each compartment could hold an item, with a max capacity of 99. So, Jiang Shu, instead of directly putting 99 pieces of gold in one square and other things in the other squares, puts 99 boxes in one square, then filled those boxes with things.
These things were originally prepared by Jiang Shu just in case she crossed again, but Wen Qing now profited from it. However, she was in the era of Destroy the Four Olds*, so she didn't need antique calligraphy or painting. The things on Taobao were more useful.
*T/N: 破四旧 (po si jiu), Destroy the Four Olds refers to the campaign of the Cultural Revolution. The Four Olds were: Old Ideas, Old Culture, Old Habits, and Old Customs.
Wen Qing carried two "wild animals" back. Da Chuan just woke up. Wen Qing shook the things in her hand at him and said, "Da Chuan, we have meat to eat!"
Da Chuan saw the things in her hand and leaped from the bed, "Jie, where did you get them?"
"I caught it from the back mountain. We will look for more after we eat, who knows if there'll be more."
Da Chuan nodded like a chicken pecking at rice. His brain was now filled with meat and he could not think of anything else.
The brother and sister, one burned the fire, the other cooked the meat. The fragrance soon wafted out. Fortunately, they were far from the village, so no one could smell it.