“What’s going on?”
When Qiying left, Song Si asked as he walked away.
“When she was coming from the market just now, Yue happened to see a thief stealing that Miss Qiying’s purse and alerted her.”
Song Si’s footsteps gave a slight pause.
Song Shen was too nervous to notice, but Song Wan Yue noticed and was puzzled, “Big brother?”
Song Si stroked her head, he had gone to school in the county for several years and had heard a little about some things, the thieves in the county were all in groups, his little sister had spoiled someone’s good deed today and was afraid she would be missed.
But his voice was as gentle as ever, “It’s nothing.”
Song Wan Yue saw the flicker of worry in his eyes and instantly understood what he was worried about.
Today, if she hadn’t seen that Qi Ying was skilled and dressed in an unusual manner, she wouldn’t have been nosy.
Showing a bright smile, “Then get going, it’s almost time to get busy at the stall.”
The three of them still crossed through the bazaar and by the time they reached the stall, there were already a few people eating the cold skin.
“Father, Mother, Third Uncle.”
A smile sprang up on Liu Cui Lan’s face, “Si’er sit down quickly, Mother will cut you a portion of cold skin to eat.”
“I’ve had breakfast at the academy.”
“That’s fine, wait until noon and then eat.”
Liu Cui Lan was partial to the eldest son she was so proud of.
It was not only because this son had honoured the Song family, but also because this son had saved his heart since he was a child, was gentle and studied hard. Unlike Song Shen, who had been naughty since he was a child and did something untoward from time to time, such as pulling out birds’ nests from trees or going down to the river to touch fish.
Song Shen was already used to it, so he carefully put the book basket aside and sat down on a wooden stool with his feet, “I’m exhausted.”
In the past, Song Shu had always driven the bullock cart to the entrance of the academy and put the book basket directly on the cart, but this was the first time that Song Shen had helped carry it.
“You feel tired just carrying a book basket, what can you do? Hurry up and go wash your hands, come and help.”
“I’ll do it, let second brother and little sister rest.”
Song Si rolled up his sleeves and went to the side to wash his hands.
Whenever Song Si was at home, she would help the family with their work, and Liu Cui Lan didn’t say anything.
After washing her hands, Song Si went to take the kitchen knife from Song Shu, “Father, I’ll do it.”
Song Shu handed the knife to him, “Be careful.”
Song Si gave a hint.
When the cucumbers were finished, more people came to eat the cold skin, and everyone was busy until almost noon, when Liu Cui Lan cut the last of the cold skin, put the seasoning on it, and greeted Song Si to sit down, “Si’er, come and eat.”
Song Si’s clothes were sweaty and she was really hungry, so she took two more clean bowls and divided the cold skin into three, “Erdi, Yue’er, come over and eat.”
Song Shen was also tired and thirsty, so he sat down on his butt and ate from the bowl, “Big brother, Yue’er and I have been blessed by you today, a few days ago Mother couldn’t let us eat.”
Lest he had let his mouth slip, Liu Cui Lan scolded him, “You can’t even shut your mouth with food.”
Only then did Song Shen remember that his family had instructed him not to let his elder brother know that the family was waiting for the silver to buy the bracelet, so he lowered his head and ate.
Song Si looked at his greedy mouthful of food and doubts flashed through his heart. Although one cold skin was fifteen yuan, in such hot weather, even if his parents did not want to eat it, they would not let Song Shen and Yue’er eat it, unless there was something wrong with the family.
He drew a pair of chopsticks and handed them to Song Wan Yue, “Is Yue’er tired of coming along every day?”
“No, I’m not tired.”
Song Si confirmed her suspicions and lowered her head to take a bite of her cold skin, thinking what had happened at home.
When the guests had all dispersed, several people packed up their things, and when Song San Xiao had gone to put the tables, chairs and benches away, they took the ox cart home.
It was midday, the hottest time of the day, but Song Sanxiao neither cried out of thirst nor hunger.
The more Song Si confirmed his suspicions that something had happened at home, or something big, otherwise Third Uncle would not be so “understanding”.
When they returned home, after eating, everyone went back to their houses to rest, while Song Si brought a book to Song Wan Yue’s door, “Yue’er, big brother brought you a book.”
“Big brother come in.”
Song Si pushed the door in and after closing it with his backhand, he walked over and sat down, placing the book on the table and said in a low voice, “Yue’er, tell big brother, did something happen at home?”
“Well, something has happened a little.”
Song Wan Yue told the story of how she had saved Gu Yi, and told the story of breaking off relations with Song Gua’s side as well.
Song Si intuited that she was hiding something. If that was all, why would the family hide it from him?
“Did eldest uncle spend a lot of silver?”
As soon as he entered he saw that Song Lin was limping and only after asking did he realise that he had injured himself while going up the mountain.
When he opened his mouth to ask, Song Wangyue knew that he had sensed that the family was short of silver, and nodded her little head, “Well, it cost several dozen taels, and the family now owes a lot of silver.”
“How much?”
Song Wangyue’s shook her head, “I don’t know.”
It was also true, Yue’er was still young, how would the family tell her how much silver she owed, picking up the book on the table and admonishing, “Don’t tell anyone what big brother just asked you.”
“Mmm.”
Song Si took the book and went out of the room and back into the house. Song Shen had just laid down, ready to rest for a while and follow the family down to the ground.
“Are you hot?”
Song Si asked him.
Song Shen took a bushel fan and shook it, “Hot, it’s killing me.”
“Come, big brother will accompany you to bathe in the river.”
“Really?”
Song Shen threw away the futon fan in his hand and got up with a start, every summer in the past, he had grown up in the river, but after the young master of the Gu family fell into the water and almost drowned this year, his family had forbidden him from bathing in the river again, but it would be different if big brother proposed it.
“Let’s go.”
Song Si put the book back in the book basket and turned to walk out.
Song Shen hurriedly got off the bed and slipped on his shoes to follow him.
After leaving the room, he subconsciously lightened his steps, and when he got out of the door, he sprang into a run, “Big brother, I’ll wait for you in the river first, hurry up!”
Watching him blink and run a long way away, Song Si shook his head.
By the time he reached the river, Song Shen was already swimming happily. At this time of the year, most of the people in the village were still resting, and there were not many people at the river.
Song Si did not go down to the river, but sat under a big tree and watched Song Shen swimming happily around in the river.
“Big brother, come down.”
Song Shen waved at him.
“I’m not going down, you be careful.”
Song Shen swam in the river for two quarters of an hour and was cool enough before he got on the bank, dressed and also came to sit under the big tree.
Song Si helped him twist his hair, “You’re exhausted from these days, aren’t you?”
“I’m not tired, but my parents are very tired. They got up early in the morning and made all those cold skins before dawn.”
“How much money does our family owe?”
