The cold-faced shop was open-air. There was a straw shed built and there were four tables and chairs in the straw shed. Next to the straw shed was their stove.
The cold noodles seller was a couple with an eight or nine-year-old child.
Seeing Zhao Dong and the others enter, the shopkeeper hurried over to greet them warmly. He happened to hear Zhao Zhitong say that she already knew how to write her name, so he smiled and said, "Your little son is so handsome."
Sun Youcai hurriedly said, "No, no. This is my little niece."
The shopkeeper was surprised. "Eh, little girl, you can read too? So you're from a scholarly family."
Zhao Dong hurriedly said, "No, no. Her grandfather is a doctor. She only knows a few words from him."
Then, he changed the topic. "Boss, how much does your cold noodles cost?"
Upon hearing that business was here, the shopkeeper hurriedly said, "Two copper coins a bowl."
Zhao Dong looked at the number of people and asked for eight bowls of cold noodles.
Upon hearing that he wanted so many bowls, the shopkeeper smiled brightly and immediately said, "Alright, take a seat first. It'll be done soon."
Then, he shouted to the woman who was busy at the stove, "Eight bowls of cold noodles."
At this moment, Madam Liu, who had walked in from behind, heard him and immediately stopped him. "Wait, Boss. I want six bowls. Six bowls will do."
Then, she said to Zhao Dong, "I'm not hungry. There's no need to eat. Daqing and Daxiang are small. Just one bowl for two."
The shopkeeper was not angry and immediately agreed. "Alright, six bowls instead of eight bowls."
Zhao Dong sighed helplessly and did not say anything in the end. They were all farmers and peasants who had come from poverty. He could understand his second aunt's thoughts. She just wanted to save money.
It was rare for the little children to be so obedient. They sat on the stools obediently and stared in the direction of the stove.
Soon, bowls of cold noodles were served.
Looking at the green noodles, Zhao Zhitong opened her mouth wide and made an exaggerated expression. "Wow, the color of these noodles is so beautiful."
The shopkeeper was amused by Zhao Zhitong's cute appearance. He explained enthusiastically, "This is noodles made with pagoda tree leaf juice. It will naturally cool down in the well water. It's refreshing and sweet. It can reduce heatiness. It's perfect for this season."
Zhao Dong smiled and praised. "Yes, it smells good. There's a clear fragrance of pagoda tree leaves."
Then, he said, "Boss, help us get two empty bowls."
The shopkeeper did not find it strange at all. They were all farmers and knew that it was not easy to earn money. When they came out, the family of three ate a bowl of noodles. Hence, he chuckled and said, "Alright, wait a moment."
After a while, the boss brought the empty bowl over.
Madam Liu divided one bowl of noodles into two equal bowls. One bowl was given to Sun Daqing, and the other to Sun Daxiang.
Then, she said, "An empty bowl will do for me. I'm not hungry. In a while, I'll drink the soup that Daqing finished. I'll just eat two mouthfuls of pancakes. We'll be able to eat more when we get home."
As she spoke, she was about to return the empty bowl to the shopkeeper, but Zhao Zhitong was unwilling. She stopped her and grabbed her sleeve with her small hand, pulling her back to the table like a little adult. "Second Aunt, you can't just drink soup without eating noodles. We're a family. Yes, a family should share blessings and difficulties together."
As she spoke, she picked up her chopsticks and clumsily placed the noodles in her bowl into the empty bowl.
Madam Liu hurriedly stopped her. "No, no. Second Aunt understands your intentions."
Zhao Zhitong refused to give up. "No, if Second Aunt doesn't want to eat, then I won't eat either."
As she spoke, she pouted and crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking angry.
At this moment, Zhao Dong said, "Second Sister-in-law, just eat it. This is the child's gift."
As he spoke, he gave Sun Youli a look. Sun Youli also quickly went on to say that she shouldn't let the child down.
Only then did Madam Liu compromise. "Alright, alright, I'll eat, haha."
Only then did Zhao Zhitong feel happy. With Zhao Dong's help, she picked up a small bowl of noodles for Madam Liu.
The little guys at the side saw this and also picked up noodles for Madam Liu.
Sun Daqing said, "Mother, here's a bite for you."
Sun Daji said, "I can't finish it even if I fill my bowl. Here, have some."
Sun Daxiang said, "Me too, me too."
…
Madam Liu's face was filled with a blissful smile. She quickly stopped them. In the end, after looking at the three children's noodles, she habitually said, "Eat quickly. Eat quickly. It won't taste good if it's cold." Zhao Zhitong was also happy. She held the noodles and shouted, "Second Aunt, cold noodles are cold to begin with."
Everyone was instantly amused. The atmosphere at the table was harmonious, causing everyone eating noodles to be infected.
Everyone ate the noodles happily.
The noodles were refreshing and sweet. There was a faint fragrance of pagoda tree leaves that spread in her mouth bit by bit.
Zhao Zhitong blinked. She felt that this was the best noodles she had ever eaten. In fact, this was just ordinary noodles. It was not as special as the noodles Sun Mei had prepared at home.
It was just that these noodles were not easy to come by and the mood of the people eating them was different.
Just as they were happily eating their noodles, a discordant voice suddenly sounded, breaking the harmony.
"Hey, isn't this Second Brother? Why are you eating noodles here?"
Zhao Zhitong looked up and saw someone she didn't like.
Although she was young, children were extremely sensitive. They could sense who liked her and who did not.
The two people in front of her were her third aunt and her third aunt's younger brother, Wang Gou. The girl dressed like a butterfly beside her was her third aunt's daughter, Zhao Cai.
In her memory, Third Uncle and Third Aunt did not like her and always indulged their second daughter, Zhao Cai, in bullying her.
Third Aunt's younger brother was also bad. Every time he came to the house, he would pinch her face. Therefore, Zhao Zhitong didn't like them either. She couldn't be bothered to call them, so she continued to eat her noodles.
Zhao Dong looked up and saw who it was. He smiled insincerely and said, "Yes, we're having some noodles."
They clearly could not feel Zhao Dong and the others' coldness. Or perhaps, they did not care if they wanted to talk to him or not.
Third Aunt and Young Madam Wang had already walked in. They looked at the noodles in their bowls with disdain. "Tsk tsk, why are you eating noodles in such a place? It's quite shabby."
Zhao Cai followed her mother in and looked at the noodles in Zhao Zhitong's bowl in disdain. She said in surprise, "You actually eat this kind of thing? Even my pig doesn't eat it."
As she spoke, she pushed Zhao Zhitong's bowl of noodles in disdain.
Zhao Zhitong was furious that she dared to touch her things. She immediately glared at ger and shouted fiercely, "Ugly freak, don't touch my face."
Zhao Cai was immediately unhappy to be called an ugly freak. "Who are you calling an ugly freak!"
Zhao Zhitong bared her teeth. "Little fool, I'm scolding you."
Seeing the two children arguing, Zhao Dong was worried that his third sister-in-law would hit them. He quickly pulled Zhao Zhitong to his side.
Little Madam Wang was about to flare up, but when she thought of her boss's instructions when she went out, she forcefully suppressed her anger.
He smiled and said, "Children are just fooling around. Hehe. Second Brother, you too. Why didn't you look for us when you came to the market? How good would it be if you just ate at our tavern?"
After receiving Madam Wang's gaze, her younger brother, Wang Gou, also smiled and said, "That's right. My sister's tavern is just ahead. If you guys are eating noodles in such a place, why don't you go to the tavern? I think your noodles aren't delicious and you're not full after eating them. Let's go to my sister's tavern now."