NOVPUBChapter 736: Chapter 734: Tempting the Heart and Stirring the Soul
Chapter 736: Chapter 734: Tempting the Heart and Stirring the Soul
Sally cut some of each type of the pork offal, at least half a basin, and gave it to Mrs. Zhang, “Thank you, Sister-in-law Zhang, today. My husband has come back, and now I have something to look forward to. I will need your care in the future.”
Mrs. Zhang looked at Sally in surprise, it took her a while to respond, then she slapped her thigh, “Exactly! A home needs a man; without a man, it’s not really a home.”
“Yes, what Sister-in-law Zhang said is absolutely right.” Sally found it hard to explain why such a lazy daughter-in-law had suddenly become diligent and even learned to cook offal. She could only attribute the change to Dongfang Yi.
Dongfang Yi was fixing up the yard and cast a doubtful glance at Sally upon hearing her words. 𝑛𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝑏.𝘤𝑜𝘮
Sally pretended not to see and continued making small talk with Mrs. Zhang.
Mrs. Zhang walked away with the basin of pork offal and soon returned with half a basin of rice.
Sally was immensely grateful and cooked a pot of rice porridge with it.
As she made the fire, Sally leaned her cheek on one hand and stared blankly into the flames in the stove.
Dongfang Yi held a bamboo hat in his hand and placed a letter on the stove, “This is the money from selling the pig. It should be enough for you to spend for a while.”
“Are you going to Changan?” Sally asked casually.
Dongfang Yi was surprised by her perceptiveness, “Yes.”
“Have a smooth journey.” Sally replied.
Dongfang Yi hesitated, then said, “Take care of yourself too.”
After eating, Sally visited Mrs. Zhang’s house again.
Just as she arrived at the door, she saw her six children fighting over the insufficient pork offal, so she hurried back and brought another half of the offal.
“Sister-in-law Zhang—”
“Oh, Xiuxiu sister, come in and sit down.”
“Tomorrow, I and my family are taking a long journey, and we won’t be able to finish this leftover offal or take it with us. I was wondering if I could exchange it for some pancakes, which would be convenient to eat on the road.”
“What exchange? Just take these,” Mrs. Zhang immediately took out a basin of freshly cooked pancakes.
Sally took a pancake, cut it in half, and then filled it with pork intestines and liver, offering it to Mrs. Zhang’s children, “Here, try this and see if it has a different flavor.”
Mrs. Zhang’s children each took one and devoured them deliciously.
“Xiuxiu, your cooking skills could even be a business.”
“I could teach you, Sister-in-law Zhang, would you like to learn?”
Mrs. Zhang was kind-hearted and clear-eyed. Her husband worked away from home most of the year, and it was extremely difficult for her to raise six children alone.
If she had a skill to rely on, it could at least help with the household expenses and make life better for her and her children.
Moreover, Mrs. Zhang was naturally talented in cooking skills.
As Sally expected, Mrs. Zhang caught on quickly. Following Sally’s instructions, she cooked the pork left for Sally by Dongfang Yi…
The taste was even better than that made by Sally.
Sally praised, “Sister-in-law Zhang, you could make a living with this in the future.”
Mrs. Zhang and her children bowed to Sally.
Teaching someone a livelihood skill is like giving them a new life.
…
Mrs. Zhang gave Sally a quilt, which was part of her own dowry when she got married.
Knowing this, Sally repeatedly refused to accept it, but Mrs. Zhang insisted on giving it.
In the end, Sally reluctantly accepted it.
Late into the night, Sally lay in her bed, her head resting on a thatch pillow, struggling to fall asleep.
She didn’t know how her real body was faring.
She was still carrying a child in her womb.
If she became hungry, what would happen… but with Xiaomei around, she could temporarily control her body and there shouldn’t be a problem with eating.
Right now, the main issue was how to return. She didn’t know if self-destruction would allow her to return to her Beast Body.
If she couldn’t return today, that would be troublesome.
It seemed she could only follow Dongfang Yi for now since, upon her arrival, the first person she met was him. Intuitively, she felt her soul had come here because of him.
As the sky brightened slightly, Sally took her blanket and food and drink, the most important being the two taels of silver that Dongfang Yi had given her, and left the thatched hut.
Indeed, the Space System was handy, making travel feel as light as air.
Upon leaving the village, Sally encountered a donkey cart heading into the city. Learning that she wanted to go to Changan, the driver offered her a ride.
On the road, Sally gave the driver two of the meat buns she had made as payment for the journey.
With the fragrant, oily meat buns in his stomach, the driver was in an exceedingly good mood and told Sally that to get to Changan one could travel by water or land.
If traveling by water, one could head to Xin City, where there was a passenger boat to Changan that could get there in half a month, but it would cost quite a bit of money. By land, one could pay to join an escort agency for safety. If one could help the escort agency, perhaps the travel could even be free, though it would take longer—about a month at the fastest or two to three months typically.
After thanking the driver, Sally decided to go to Xin City.
Traveling with the escort agency would take longer and involve more complications. Although the passenger boat was more expensive, it was faster and safer.
Luckily, Sally managed to catch another donkey cart en route. Upon reaching the Xin City dock, the passenger boat to Changan was just about to depart, saving her even the wait time.
The boat fare was indeed not low, costing one tael of silver, the price of half a pig.
However, the boat provided food and drink, which somewhat consoled Sally.
Sally stood on the top deck of the passenger boat, leaning against the railing, gnawing on a tough, hard pancake. It was still one of Mrs. Zhang’s creations but had dried out now, making it perfect for grinding one’s teeth.
Possibly out of habit formed from being a Mouse Beast, Sally loved to gnaw on things whenever she was idle, regardless of what it was.
“Looking up to see the clouds shift and change, few waves disturb the azure waters, and green pines and cypresses fill the sky. Reflected in the clear stream, birds chirp in the mountains, fish play in the blue water under the clouds, and a shepherd boy plays his flute in their depths.”
A man in white, holding a bamboo and rice paper fan, came next to Sally and recited a couple of lines of verse with a flourish.
Sally, “…” Had she just been hit on?
Glancing at his features—dark skin, big buck teeth, a bulbous, red nose, and small, beady eyes—she quickly averted her gaze without further inspection.
The man in white continued as Sally remained silent, “Miss, you’ve been admiring the river scenery here for several days, and often I see you frowning with impatience. Is something troubling you?”
Sally replied, “Oh, I’m pregnant and thinking about whether to keep the child, since the man I married by taking an oath has been killed by me, his body burned to ashes and left as nothing but a handful of white dust.”
The expression on the man in white’s face uncontrollably crumbled… he didn’t even say goodbye before turning away and fleeing.
Sally continued gnawing on her pancake.
Then, footsteps approached from behind again.
The newcomer approached with steady steps and maintained a prolonged breath, a sign of someone with power.
Sally paused her biting, then ignored it.
“How come you are on this boat?” Dongfang Yi asked.
Sally kept her gaze on the river, faintly hearing the shepherd boy’s flute in the air, recalling the verse the man in white had recited. Ugly he might be, but good were his words.
“I’m heading to Changan. I heard it’s a bustling place and want to see the world. Is there a problem with that?” Sally looked at Dongfang Yi. Her current appearance was unembellished, and at best could be considered plain. She was slim, almost undeveloped, but her eyes were bright and captivating, shimmering with an unusual charm.
With a smile curling her lips, the allure in her eyes transformed seductively, irresistibly charming.
