Divorced woman with child travels through time

Chen Wenfang arrived at the back of the mountain. The path was a bit slippery after the rain, so she didn't dare to venture too far into the mountains. She cut a few thick branches along the mountainside and was about to turn back when she heard a strange noise coming from the woods. Chen Wenfang immediately looked back but didn't see anything. Perhaps it was just the wind. She thought that she hadn't been resting well lately because of that footprint, and was just hallucinating.

After taking the tree root back to the yard, Chen Wenfang saw that the children were still playing inside, so she took it to the garden. The ground was a bit soft from the rain, so it was easy to stick the root in and prop up the branches. She would make the straw rope tomorrow; Chen Wenfang planned to cook dinner.

Wash the amaranth that Aunt Liu brought, take out the old dough that was fermented yesterday, add new dough and cornmeal, knead it well and let it rest for a while. Divide it into small pieces and set them aside.

Heat oil in a wok, then fry three golden-brown sunny-side-up eggs. Next, add some lard and soybean oil, mix well, and heat the oil. Briefly stir-fry the amaranth. Wash the wok, then reheat it, making sure the wok is very hot before placing the cornbread in it; otherwise, it won't stick and will easily deform. Add water to the bottom of the wok and simmer over medium heat for a few minutes. The soft, golden-brown cornbread is now ready.

Chen Wenfang thought for a moment and decided that she would have to make some dried meat at home next time, because it wouldn't be good to go without meat.

"Chen... Xuan... Yu..." "Come and bring the dishes!! Dinner is ready!!" Chen Wenfang yelled.

Soon, the two little ones came over. Shi Tou wasn't shy at all, which Chen Wenfang liked.

"Take it over, then wash your hands and eat," Chen Wenfang said with a smile, carrying a plate of vegetables in one hand and a flatbread in the other.

Chen Xuanyu carried the eggs. Shi Tou carried a bowl of pancakes. Next time, we'll have to buy a small basket.

The two younger children washed their hands and came over. The three of them sat down in the main hall to eat, and then it started raining again.

"Here, Shitou, eat more." Chen Wenfang handed Shitou a pancake.

"Thank you, Sister-in-law Chen." Shi Tou had learned to be very polite from Chen Xuan Yu.

After Shi Tou finished eating a pancake and an egg, he reached for a second one, took a bite, and then Aunt Liu arrived, bringing a bowl of pickled radishes and vegetables.

"You little brat, don't you know how to come home for dinner? I have to call you." Aunt Liu pinched Shi Tou's ear.

"Come back with me now." He then said to Chen Wenfang, "I'm sorry, my child is so immature."

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "Auntie, you're being too polite with me. Other people's food always tastes better. Kids are all like that. Look, even with Shitou here, Xuanzai is eating more. I couldn't be happier." She then added, "Aunt Liu, do you have any extra eggs? Sell me thirty."

Aunt Liu's family raises about ten chickens, and they collect eggs every day. So she said, "Of course we do. We've been collecting eggs every day lately, and I'll bring them to you tomorrow. There's also a hen that's started brooding; would you like me to bring you a few more chicks?"

Chen Wenfang repeatedly said yes. Aunt Liu took the stone back home. After dinner, Chen Wenfang looked at the deep night, the rain falling like a curtain, and closed the courtyard gate.

He went to the side room, swept up the chicken droppings, and dumped them next to the dandelions in the yard. Then he rested.

The next day the sun shone brightly, and sunlight streamed through the paper window, casting a hazy glow on Chen Wenfang's face. Chen Wenfang woke up, touched the kitchen knife under her pillow, and felt a little more at ease.

Chen Xuanyu was still asleep. Chen Wenfang heated up the pan and reheated the leftover pancakes from yesterday. She ate one of them.

She opened the courtyard gate and went to the small vegetable garden to weed. Aunt Liu came over with stones. Chen Wenfang smiled and took the eggs, then went into the room to count the money and handed it to Aunt Liu. Two coins a egg wasn't expensive, but Aunt Liu refused to take it. Chen Wenfang laughed, "My chicks aren't fully grown yet; it'll be several more months before we have eggs. My child is growing, so I need to buy them every few days. If you don't take them, are you going to let someone else make the money?"

Aunt Liu felt embarrassed by the offer, so she accepted the money and said, "Then I'll charge you one coin each next time."

Chen Wenfang said, "That won't do. If you insist, I'll buy it from someone else. We're sisters, so let's keep things clear."

Aunt Liu laughed and said, "Nonsense, I'm much older than you." Chen Wenfang said coquettishly, "It's just a metaphor."

Aunt Liu said, "I'm scared of you. Let's go, before it rains, let's go to Wangjiazhuang."

Chen Wenfang said, "I'll leave after I pack up."

Chen Wenfang shook Chen Xuanyu awake and took out the purse containing money from under the pillow. She poured out about a third of it and put it back into the pillow. Chen Wenfang always carried the silver in her outer garment, but usually wore it close to her body. All of her outfits had been modified to have three pockets each: a hidden pocket on the upper body where she kept the silver, two pockets on her skirt where she put the purse, and a small hidden compartment on her belt that could hold about ten coins.

After putting the money away, Chen Wenfang took four more flatbreads. She gave one to Chen Xuanyu for breakfast, one to Shi Tou, and one to Aunt Liu. Aunt Liu refused, saying, "I'm not a child anymore. I've already eaten breakfast."

Chen Wenfang said, "No, I know your family eats two meals a day, you definitely haven't eaten yet."

Aunt Liu took it helplessly. "How did you know?"

Chen Wenfang laughed, "Because I can calculate, haha, that's what Shi Tou said." She thought to herself, "The ancients ate two meals a day, of course I know that."

Shi Tou scratched his head, biting into his pancake, and wondered, "Did I tell Sister-in-law Chen about this?"