NOVPUB
Chapter 372: Chapter 362 No, You Were Picked up From a Trash Can
The next morning, Shen Yunfang was up early, preparing for today’s outing. Both families were planning a trip to the mountains. While they called it hunting, it was actually more of a spring outing, or rather, a summer outing given the season. Both families would be bringing their children, which meant a lot of things needed to be prepared.
Shen Yunfang started by using the cake she had baked the previous night to make several sandwiches, packing them into a large box. Then, early in the morning, she steamed a pot of rice; the rice soup would be just right to drink as porridge.
After that, she made a few onigiri with the ingredients she had on hand and neatly arranged them in a box. The main meal was all set.
She steamed a few sausages in the pot, and after they were done, she cut them into small pieces. There was also the quail she had smoked the day before and she sliced a large plate of pork head meat with layers of fat and lean. She mashed some garlic and mixed it with sauce, which she poured into small bowls.
Last, she mixed some cucumber with cold noodles and other ingredients for a cold dish, but didn’t pour the sauce over it. Instead, she packed the sauce in a plastic bag and planned to pour it over when it was time to eat, just giving it a quick mix.
She packed all these foods into a large basket, covered it with a towel, and it would be ready to carry out when it was time to go.
"Don’t dress Manman in a skirt today. We’re going up the mountain, and there will be grass and branches everywhere. A skirt might scratch the child’s bottom," Shen Yunfang said as she walked into the house and saw Li Hongjun dressing his daughter in a little skirt.
Li Hongjun thought about it and agreed that wearing a skirt up the mountain would be uncomfortable. He quickly discussed it with his daughter, "Sweetheart, Mom said we’re going to the mountain today, so let’s not wear a skirt, okay?"
Manman was the most beauty-conscious in the family. Even before she could speak, she could throw a tantrum over wearing clothes she didn’t like, so Li Hongjun had to ask his daughter’s opinion as a dutiful father.
Manman pursed her little mouth and shook her head vigorously. She didn’t want to, she wanted to wear her skirt.
"Honey, Daddy knows skirts are pretty, but today we’re going to the mountain, look, there’s so much grass, it’s so tall, and if your skirt gets caught, it will prick your bottom, which won’t be pretty," Li Hongjun tried to persuade her.
Manman still shook her head.
"Baby, listen to Daddy, okay? I promise when we get back, I’ll let you wear your skirt," Li Hongjun said, not a trace of anger in his voice, his patience with his daughter endless.
When Shen Yunfang came into the room bringing chopsticks and bowls, she saw that he was still coaxing the child. Pangpang, not having washed his face, was looking around with wide eyes.
She went over and swiftly took the little skirt off Manman and then grabbed clothes and trousers and started dressing her.
"We’re going up the mountain today, so you must wear clothes and trousers. You don’t have a say in this. Even if you do, you’re not allowed to complain. This is an order," Shen Yunfang said while dressing the child.
Manman pursed her lips, on the verge of crying, "Daddy."
"Oh, my baby has been wronged. Mommy was too rough," Li Hongjun couldn’t stand his daughter’s soft voice. As soon as his wife finished dressing the child, he quickly took her into his arms.
"Mommy is naughty," Manman seriously complained.
"Yes, Mommy is naughty," Li Hongjun echoed.
Shen Yunfang rolled her eyes at them. If not for her firmness, this father and daughter might never leave the house.
"I want to wear a skirt," Manman demanded.
"Okay, when we get back, Daddy will change it for you immediately. How about that?" Li Hongjun kissed his daughter’s little cheek. No child could be more adorable than his own.
"You two have had enough, look at the time. Wu Guoqiang and his wife will be here any minute now," Shen Yunfang reminded them, implying that a little affection was fine but they shouldn’t delay the matter at hand.
"Alright, Mommy said, it’s time for us to eat," Li Hongjun said while sitting at the table with the child, asking Manman what she wanted to eat.
"Daddy, am I really your and Mommy’s child?" Pangpang, who had been watching all morning, asked with a touch of grievance.
Right at that moment, Shen Yunfang came in, gave Li Hongjun a stern look, and said without a hint of warmth, "No, you were picked up from a trash can."
"Hmph, Mommy only knows how to tell lies. Everyone says I look exactly like Daddy," Pangpang said, his face quickly losing its grievance as he scorned his mother’s childish lie.
"Li Hongjun, this is the good child you’ve spoiled."
The family chatted and laughed as they finished breakfast, and the Wu family also came over.
So, the two families, three bicycles in total, set off toward the mountains together.
Wu Guoqiang had also gone all out, borrowing two bicycles. Fortunately, Mrs. Wu could ride, so Wu Guoqiang rode with Tingting in front, and his eldest daughter in the back, while Mrs. Wu set off with her son.
One bicycle was enough for Li Hongjun’s family, with Pangpang in the front, and Shen Yunfang holding Manman in the back.
The group chatted and laughed all the way to the foot of the mountain.
After locking up the bicycles, Li Hongjun commanded Taxue, "Go on, whether we can have meat today depends on you."
Taxue, panting with her tongue out, turned and dashed into the woods after Li Hongjun finished speaking.
Wu Guoqiang watched with envy, "Your Taxue is really good, should I also get one?"
"Give it up, you can barely feed the kids, let alone a dog." Mrs. Wu immediately shot him down.
"Hehe, don’t worry, if Taxue makes a catch, you’ll definitely get your share," Li Hongjun said with a smile.
The group carried their things and headed up the mountain.
The great thing about the mountains is the different beauty each season brings. They arrived in midsummer, when wildflowers covered the ground. From a distance, the vibrant colors—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet—made for a spectacular sight.
Wu Guoqiang and Li Hongjun led the way with the supplies,
While the two women, leading children both big and small, followed behind.
"Manman, look at this flower, isn’t it pretty? Mom will put it on for you."
"You rascal, don’t run off, or a wolf might snatch you away."
"Pangpang, you can’t eat that. Many plants are poisonous. Don’t put anything in your mouth without knowing what it is, understand?"
"Xiaoyu, keep an eye on your brother, don’t let him wander off. Tingting, stop egging him on and behave yourself."
Amid the hustle and bustle, they finally reached the spot where Li Hongjun’s family had picnicked last time.
The location was excellent, flat terrain with a shallow creek nearby where the children could safely play.
After choosing a spot, Shen Yunfang took out a bedsheet and, together with Mrs. Wu, laid it out. Then the two women started taking food out of the basket.
Mrs. Wu had also prepared plenty of food, including marinated quail eggs.
To be honest, Shen Yunfang’s influence had brought great benefits to the army wives. Now, almost every family in the residential area raised quails. Never mind anything else, having quail eggs to eat every day had greatly improved the standard of living for the people there.
Mrs. Wu, however, didn’t have Shen Yunfang’s variety. She made several cornmeal pancakes, and to make them tastier, she added a few extra eggs to the cornmeal—this was already quite good.
She also brought out a bowl of egg sauce, as well as cucumbers, green onions, and radishes for dipping.
Mrs. Wu, curious at the sight of the food Shen Yunfang was taking out, asked, "What are you making here?"
"These are sandwiches, foreigners eat these for breakfast."
