When the Yu Family of four was about to leave, Liu Cunjin, who knew his daughter liked to eat porridge made with green wheat, gave all of the thirty-so catties of green wheat that they had finished rubbing to them. Yu Hai repeatedly declined the offer and the old man became angry, "Do you dislike my family's gift as not being presentable? If you don't take it, then take all of the grain back as well!"
Madam Liu was very familiar with her father's crabby character. She hurriedly pulled at her husband's sleeve and smiled, "This is the gift that Father is giving me. You don't have the right to refuse. Father, you still remember that I like to eat green wheat porridge ah!"
"Of course I remember, why wouldn't I remember?" Liu Cunjin's expression relaxed quite a bit when he saw his daughter placing the green wheat in the horse cart.
Madam Yao chuckled from the side, "Dahai, don't lower yourself to that old man's level. He ah, loves his daughter very much. Our daughter Yun loves to eat porridge made with green wheat, so the house always has a pot going. Every time summer started, he would go pick some wheat from the fields without telling the family and secretly rub the grain out so he could make some porridge for his daughter to eat! After our daughter Yun got married, every year he would always mutter under his breath, 'Looks like our daughter can't eat green wheat porridge this year. How about we send a couple catties over for her?'"
Yu Hai also dearly loved his daughters. Otherwise, he wouldn't have allowed Xiaocao to do all of her crazy ideas. He hollered in a voice full of emotion, "Father...we'll take the green wheat. When we get back, I'll especially simmer some green wheat porridge for Muyun to eat."
Yu Xiaocao added in from the side, "Father, I also like to eat porridge made of green wheat. Don't just think of Mother and forget this daughter of yours!"
Yu Hai chuckled shyly, "Then we'll make an extra bowl. Cao'er can eat with your mother!"
Little s.h.i.+tou interjected somewhat unhappily, "There's still me, there's still me!" Yu Hai lightly patted the back of his son's head, "You little kid, what are you trying to do? Have we ever slighted you on food or drink? Don't we also have white rice and wheat around? Your mother and second sister just have a few likes, yet you try to insert yourself in?"
Little s.h.i.+tou deflated and looked for comfort from his grandmother, "Grandmother, Father is biased! s.h.i.+tou is so pitiful as I have no one who loves and cares about me. I'm just like an abandoned little cabbage in the fields…"
Madam Yao laughed as she hugged him closely and comforted him, "Don't cry, s.h.i.+tou, Grandmother loves you! We have a lot of green wheat at home, so you guys can't be harsh on your children. If you finish it, just ask your Second Older Brother to send some more over!"
Yu Hai leveled a glare at his son and then smiled, "Mother, don't be fooled by this little guy. Ah he, he doesn't actually love eating green wheat porridge. He's just trying to worm himself in ah!" The phrase 'worm himself in' was a term he had learned from his daughter.
Liu Cunjin looked at the color of the sky and then spoke to Madam Liu, "It's getting late and roads here are a bit rough. Don't rush too quickly back home. If there's nothing going on the next few days, your mother and I will come over to see you. Don't flaunt any wealth and keep an eye on the grain at home. Don't be too generous and don't forget what your roots are!"
After he finished speaking, Madam Liu nodded her head in a.s.sent. Although her father's words were a bit crude, every word he said was for her sake.
The horse cart quickly left Xishan Village. When she turned her head back to look, she could still see her white-haired parents waving towards her in fading light. Madam Liu felt a burst of sadness within her heart and vowed to visit her parents more often in the future so they wouldn't have to worry so much about her.
When they got back to Dongshan Village, the sky was completely dark. Luckily, other than the stretch of road just outside of Xishan Village, the rest of the roads were wide and smooth. The horse was able to pull the cart at a steady pace in the dark.
When they got home, Old Yu told them that Zhenxiu Restaurant's a.s.sistant steward, Qian Xiaoduo, had come by today under the orders of Third Young Master Zhou with a cart full of grain. When he saw the courtyard full of vegetables, he was so moved that he insisted on placing an order. However, after finding out that Yu Hai and his family members had gone to Xishan Village, he knew no one was around to make a decision so he stated he would come by tomorrow to discuss this.
