Chapter 24 – Steamed buns
After Li Man had gone outside, she turned her head around when she noticed that Li Hua hadn’t followed after them. He was actually measuring out more cloth with the lady boss. Was there a need to buy more cloth?
When Li Shu and Little Five reached the stand that sold steamed buns, they realized that the bag of money was still with Li Hua and hurriedly rushed back.
Li Shu said, “Fourth brother, what are you doing?”
Li Hua had already stuffed the newly purchased fabric into his cloth bag. He smiled and said, “I thought the change from our recent purchase was wrong, so I went back to double check.”
“Oh.” Li Shu didn’t care. He grasped Li Hua’s shoulder with one hand and said, “Let’s go buy steamed buns. It’s two steamed buns for one copper coin. They’re filled with meat.”
Li Man was waiting from a distance behind them. When they walked back, she quietly resumed walking by their side.
Little Five pulled his hand out of Li Shu’s and wrapped his arm around Li Man’s arm.
Li Man gently patted his arm and softly asked, “You’re feeling really hungry, right?” She had seen how energetically he had run towards the steamed bun stand the first time.
Little Five brilliantly smiled at her, pointed at the steamed bun stand in front of them, and said, “Older sister, we’re going over there to eat steamed buns.”
Two steamed meat buns costs one copper coin, and three steamed vegetable buns only cost one copper coin.
Li Hua spent five copper coins to buy ten steamed meat buns.
He gave three buns to Li Shu, two buns to Little Five, and two buns to Li Man, then he wrapped up the remaining buns.
“Fourth brother, why aren’t you eating any?” Li Shu asked as he ate one of the steamed buns. These steamed buns smelled really delicious.
Li Hua took out a millet pancake from his bag. After eating a bite, he said with a smile, “I like to eat second brother’s pancakes more.”
Steamed meat buns in ancient times were truly substantial for their price. They were very big with plenty of meat filling that was almost swimming in greasy fat. Just one bite was enough for the oil to spill out from the corners of your mouth.
After eating just one bite, Li Man almost couldn’t force herself to take a second bite. So unbearably greasy…
But, it wouldn’t be good to give someone a steamed bun that she had already bitten into. She could only grit her teeth and swallow each bite down. As for the remaining bun, she would rather die than eat it. She tried to give it to Little Five.
Little Five was small and couldn’t eat that much food either. He was already full from eating the two, large steamed meat buns.
Li Hua thought she was trying to save money, so he said, “There’s still more left. You can eat yours.”
How could she possibly eat another one? The millet pancakes were much better than the steamed meat buns. She hurriedly took out a millet pancake from his bag and said, “I’ll eat this.”
At first, Li Hua wanted to say more, but seeing that she truly seemed to be disgusted with the steamed meat buns, he dropped the subject. In the end, he ate the steamed bun that she had given Little Five.
These steamed buns and millet pancakes were basically their lunch. After they finished, they walked to the part of the market that sold vegetables and grains with Li Shu pushing the small cart.
This market wasn’t any different from a market in modern times. There was a complete selection of various vegetables and grains.
Li Hua directly led them into a grocery store. Because of second brother’s repeated reminders that Li Man liked to eat white rice, he bought a lot of white rice this time.
He also stocked up on oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.
After these items were purchased and the small cart was almost full, Li Hua asked Li Man, “Is there anything that you want to buy?”
Li Man had been waiting for him to ask this question. She excitedly tugged his arm and led him outside to a poultry seller. She pointed at the baby chicken that were behind the big fence and said, “I want to buy this.”
A few thatched huts in a large courtyard with a fence, growing vegetables that she liked to eat in the garden, raising a few chickens, plus a large dog…
Ah, what a lovely countryside scene.
Looking at Li Man’s sparkling eyes that seemed as if they were filled with countless stars, Li Hua smiled. “Sure, you can pick out the ones that you want.”
