Chapter 63: Off to the Market!

The next day.

Because she needed to cook in the afternoon, Huanya rose early to tidy up.

Just as she finished feeding the livestock in the back courtyard and prepared to start making breakfast, Mother Song also woke up. Seeing her busy at work, she quickly said, "Huanya, don't make breakfast today."

Huanya paused her action of kindling the fire and asked, "Why?"

"It's market day today, we'll go straight to the market to eat!" Mother Song said with a smile, "You've been tired these past few days. Since we finally have a market day, we should have a good meal!"

Huanya was slightly stunned. In the past, her late father often used to be like this. He couldn't cook, but whenever market day or a trip to town came around, he would take the whole family along.

Under the guise of treating themselves, he would buy a mountain of delicious food for her and her mother.

She smiled and nodded, "Alright."

She drew water for Mother Song to wash up, and after waiting for the older woman to check on Song Zhihong's room, she returned to her own room to pack the perilla leaves neatly into her back basket.

"Huanya, come and bring this along too."

Mother Song beckoned to Huanya, pointing to the corn that had been brought indoors the previous night. "This bag was dried the earliest, it'll be lighter to carry."

Huanya was taken aback. "Auntie, are we going to sell this corn too?"

The corn in the fields had only been harvested a couple of days ago. Would anyone even be buying corn right now?

Mother Song smiled. "Just bring it along. Put this at the bottom, and the perilla leaves on top."

Huanya hesitated for a moment, but still packed the corn in. She lined it with a blue floral cloth before placing the perilla leaves on top.

"Let's go, to the market!"

Mother Song led Huanya out the door, walking slightly ahead of her. Along the way, she met several others also heading out to set up their stalls, but she didn't engage in conversation. If anyone asked, she would just reply with a word or two.

Those who tried to probe what she was buying were all gracefully fended off.

Along the entire way, not a single person managed to figure out what was actually inside Huanya's back basket, leaving them to guess in vain.

Looking at Mother Song, Huanya's admiration deepened. Auntie was simply amazing!

If she didn't feel like talking, she just wouldn't speak, not caring about saving face at all, and yet those people didn't dare to run their mouths in front of Auntie!

Huanya lowered her head, wondering when she would ever acquire such a skill herself.

"What are you walking with your head down for? Not watching the road?"

Mother Song's voice came from the front. Huanya hurriedly shook her head and said, "No, no."

"What are you rushing for?" Mother Song laughed. "I'm not scolding you."

Huanya smiled. Hearing a commotion ahead, she raised her eyes and saw that the village entrance, which usually only had a few people sitting around, was now packed with a bustling crowd.

Her eyes lit up. "It's so lively!"

Seeing her so happy, Mother Song asked, "Haven't you been here before?"

Huanya nodded. "Father always went straight to town, he never brought me to the village market."

Mother Song smiled. "Then you can take a good look around today."

"Mmm!"

Mother Song led Huanya around the thickest of the crowd and found a spot on the edge. "Take off the back basket, we'll set up right here."

Hearing this, Huanya looked at the surroundings and asked quietly, "Auntie, isn't there an empty space over there?"

Yet Mother Song didn't even glance at it, simply saying, "Trust Auntie, setting up right here will do."

"All right." Huanya took off the back basket and lifted the corn out. Just as she was about to display the perilla leaves as well, Mother Song stopped her.

"No rush."

Huanya froze mid-motion. "Auntie?"

Mother Song shook her head slightly. "Listen to Auntie. Just leave these things as they are for now. I'll tell you when to take them out."

Huanya found it a bit strange, but in the past, she had always followed behind her mother's coattails. This was her first time setting up a stall on her own, and since she didn't understand much, she decided to follow Mother Song's lead entirely.