Divorced woman with child travels through time

The children ran around with their little baskets, bouncing along. To save time, Sister-in-law Nie and the others tied all the children's heads in buns, securely bound with tightly sewn red cloth strips so they wouldn't come undone no matter how much they jumped.

Perhaps because he had stepped out of the main room and had a wider view, Chen Xuanyu looked at the vast green fields and forgot his sadness at losing Luo Xiaohei, and gradually became happy.

This is a paddy field of about ten acres, which has not yet been cultivated. It is waiting for the weather to warm up so that rice can be planted. There are scattered new green wild vegetables everywhere, and various white and yellow flowers are scattered among them, just like an oil painting, which is very beautiful.

Chen Xuanyu didn't recognize wild vegetables either. He took a small hoe and dug one up here and one there, then brought it over to Chen Wenfang and asked, "Is this a wild vegetable?"

Chen Wenfang smiled and shook her head, picking up a head of lamb's quarters, "Like this!"

He ran off again, then skipped back a while later, holding one in his hand, and asked, "Is this the best one?"

Chen Wenfang took a closer look and finally dug up the right one. "That's right, this is shepherd's purse. Xuanzai is great! This smells very good and tastes delicious. Dig up more."

"Alright!" Chen Xuanyu was praised and dashed out like lightning.

Shiwu followed Xiaohao's example and asked her one by one. Chen Wenfang patiently introduced them to each one with a smile.

The children were so adorable that Chen Wenfang's heart melted. Her smile was so gentle that Little Bean Sprout, who hadn't seen her in a long time and had forgotten who she was, couldn't help but lean forward, clenching her little fist and asking softly, "Mother, wife, do you think this is wild vegetable?"

Chen Wenfang lowered her head, took his small hand, and said softly, "Okay, come on, let me see."

The little bean sprout shyly and slowly opened its chubby little hand, on which was a wrinkled leaf that was broken in half.

Chen Wenfang suppressed a laugh, looked at it carefully for a while, and nodded, "This is shepherd's purse, it's edible, little bean sprouts are really amazing."

The little bean sprout received the praise it wanted and ran away with its face flushed.

Chen Wenfang found it quite amusing. These children were like fish in a pond, scattered throughout the fields, or like happy little birds, flying all over the fields, occasionally chasing each other and arguing about who had dug the biggest one.

Aside from a few more sensible children, such as Chengcheng and Xiaocao, who were diligently digging and digging, occasionally asking Lulu or Daxiong to check if they had dug the wrong thing, they quickly filled a small basket and worked enthusiastically.

As Chen Wenfang looked at them, she recalled the children who had come before, dressed in tattered clothes, all thin and pale, looking like mung bean sprouts without nutrition. Now they were all plump and fair-skinned, as delightful as the dolls in the New Year pictures of the past.

Speaking of which, why hasn't the girl come over yet? Has she been taking so long to shower?

Just then, the girl came over excitedly, led by Aunt Hu. Following her were two newly purchased young girls and boys from the refugee family.

It was already close to dinnertime, so Aunt Liu had given the female workers a break early. Several women worked together to prepare the dough and chop a large bowl of minced meat, all while waiting for the wild vegetables. But they didn't come back for a long time.

Aunt Hu said with a smile, "How much did you dig up? Come, let me see!"

As she spoke, she looked at the baskets of several children. Apart from Fang'er and Lulu, who each had their own basket, and Chengcheng and Xiaocao, the other children's baskets were filled with all sorts of things and were not worth taking.

She watched Chen Wenfang sitting on the grass, idly scratching at the grass, completely absorbed in the spring scenery. She didn't say anything, just smiled indulgently, thinking how wonderful it would be if her own daughter were this age.

She called out softly, "Everyone, let's dig together! This isn't enough to eat, there are so many people eating today. Hey, little girl, guys, come with me and dig, hurry up!"

She asked the seventh son of the Tian family to fetch a basket, and under Aunt Hu's guidance, these children, especially the girls, were truly skilled at working. They dug quickly and accurately, and in no time, within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they had filled a basket with wild vegetables.

Aunt Hu carried the wild vegetables home. Chen Wenfang looked around; it was getting late. The sun and the mountains merged into one, its light gradually dimming. Ah, what a beautiful day like this.

"Alright, let's go back too." Chen Wenfang patted the grass clippings off her skirt. The children had come out to play and were indeed tired.

Back home, Chen Wenfang immediately made arrangements. Aunt Liu and the others had already prepared the dough and chopped the meat filling, and were steaming buns and stir-frying vegetables. Sister-in-law Nie was rinsing the wild vegetables. Aunt Hu was leading Juan'er and Lulu to chop the wild vegetables, while Aunt Li was leading Fang'er to mix the filling. Zhang's two daughters and their maid continued washing the wild vegetables that hadn't been washed yet. Brother Nie led a group of kids, with a circle of little boys picking wild vegetables around them.

Chen Wenfang wiped the cutting board clean, sprinkled dry flour on it, cut the dough into pieces, and prepared to roll out dumpling wrappers. Upon seeing this, Chen Xuanyu immediately dropped the wild vegetables he was holding and came over, wanting to grab some. Naturally, he dragged three others along with him.

"Mom, I want a bag too."

"Go wash your hands, and you can only touch it after you've washed them clean!" Chen Wenfang shouted.

Chen Xuanyu obediently went to wash his hands, and Xiao Hao and Shiwu followed suit. Seeing this, Chengcheng quickly finished picking the vegetables, washed his hands, and followed.

Juan'er and Lulu finished chopping the wild vegetables and came over to help roll out the dough. The little kids picking vegetables next to them all rushed over, and now there were so many people that the table was packed full.

"Hahaha!" Sister-in-law Nie looked at Kele, "You're all too young to wrap them, don't waste the flour! Come on... one for each of you, eat first." She brought over a large basket of steamed buns and stuffed one into each of the children's hands.

The little bean sprout held a steamed bun as big as her face in both hands, her rosy cheeks flushed with excitement. She left the table, sat on a stool against the wall, and began to nibble on it, looking incredibly well-behaved.

"Oh my, little bean sprout is such a good boy, he's so delicious. If you want more, just ask your auntie." Aunt Nie couldn't help but praise him in a high-pitched voice. This child is so lovable.

"Mmm," he nodded obediently again.

Seeing that he was being praised again, Mao Mao and Xiao Yi went to sit down and eat. The little children all went over, while the older children, being sensible, had already wrapped up their food.

Chen Wenfang is also very skillful. With a few quick turns, a huge sheet of dough came out. Then, she cut it with a knife, stacked it up, covered it with a small bowl, broke off the edges, and a round dumpling wrapper came out.

"Mom, look at the dumplings I made..." Chen Xuanyu showed her a plump dumpling with filling already squeezed out.

Chen Wenfang reluctantly praised, "It's alright, put it here!" She took a large bowl and put the dumpling in it alone. As soon as Chen Xuanyu put it down, the dumpling took off its clothes and lay down.

Chen Xuanyu didn't even look at it, and took another dumpling wrapper to wrap it up. Juan'er smiled secretly but didn't say anything.