Without waiting for Gu Zi's response, Aunt Yang looked at the empty steamers and felt a sense of despair creeping into her heart. Her gaze couldn't hide the dimness that overcame her.
She consoled herself internally, thinking, "So what if I miss a meal? I've endured worse treatment before, and one missed meal won't starve me."
Aunt Yang gulped and said to Gu Zi, "It's okay if you don't have any. I'll be on my way." With that, Aunt Yang turned to leave.
Gu Zi was a keen observer and could see that Aunt Yang's despair was due to seeing the empty steamers in her small cart. It was as if not being able to buy pastries would cause trouble for her, likely related to her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wang.
However, Gu Zi had not brought all the pastries she made for the day to sell; she had left some for her three children at home.
