Divorced woman with child travels through time

Chapter 346 Separation

The two of them got dressed and got out of bed with perfect understanding and went to the small kitchen.

You tended the fire, I cooked noodles, and we made three big bowls of noodles, a few side dishes, and some wine. Under the cover of night, with only a dim lamp, we whispered and laughed about everyday things.

“Sister-in-law Nie said you suddenly seemed like a different person yesterday, and I’m very worried.” Wang Erniu looked at her intently, extremely nervous.

"Slurp!" Chen Wenfang slurped up a mouthful of noodles. "She came yesterday. I could see it. Her obsession, her last obsession before she died!"

Chen Wenfang paused, put down her chopsticks, and sighed, "Before she died, she said that if she could, she hoped to live with more courage, earn a lot of money, and protect the children, but she was too tired."

"Will she come back?" Wang Erniu asked anxiously.

“Probably not. She said I was someone she had gone through a lot of trouble to get, and her last words were, ‘Thank you!’ I don’t think she’ll ever show up again…” Chen Wenfang shrugged. “I feel like her obsession disappeared after she learned that the man was dead.”

"That's good!" Wang Erniu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"They're pitiful people too!" Chen Wenfang sighed. The two ate a late-night snack and went to sleep, sleeping until noon the next day.

As soon as Chen Wenfang opened her eyes, Wang Erniu had already gotten up. He turned his head and saw Chen Xuanyu lying silently on the kang (a heated brick bed), looking at her with deep affection and a hint of grievance in his two big, watery eyes.

Seeing that she was awake, her chubby little hands twisted into a pretzel shape, and she said in a very aggrieved little voice,

"Mommy, where are you going? I want to go with you!"

"Huh? Going to Fujian? Of course you'll come with your mother. Did I say I wouldn't take you with me?" Chen Wenfang was extremely surprised. What was this child thinking?

"Ah, never mind then, I'm going to play!" Chen Xuanyu acted on impulse and quickly ran off.

Chen Wenfang was speechless. In private, she and Wang Erniu went to talk to Brother Nie and Aunt Liu about some things.

During lunch, Wang Erniu announced his departure, saying that the estate would be managed by Aunt Liu and Brother Nie. Since he had already informed everyone beforehand, no one was surprised. Only Aunt Hu hesitated and met with Chen Wenfang privately after lunch.

Chen Wenfang looked at her biological mother with some complicated feelings, unsure how to communicate with her. After all, the mother and daughter from both lifetimes had a poor relationship and couldn't be as close as before.

"Madam, I want to go with you!" Aunt Hu hesitated for a long time before finally asking.

"Can I ask why?" Chen Wenfang asked, puzzled. Her family was doing very well here.

“After all, you took us in, and there’s no contract between us. I’m a little worried if you leave,” Aunt Hu explained hurriedly. “But don’t worry, even if you take us with you, I can still do my job and I will never hold you back.”

That's true. Aunt Hu is very tactful in her dealings with people and things, and she's incredibly capable.

"However, the journey is quite long, and I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it..." Chen Wenfang looked at the few strands of silver hair on her head and felt somewhat guilty.

"No, we're still young, this little distance is nothing!" Aunt Hu practically patted her chest to assure her.

"Alright, if you want to go, then come along. Pack your things, we'll leave tomorrow." She was still a little soft-hearted.

"Okay, okay..." Aunt Hu left happily.

While packing her things, Chen Wenfang mentioned it to Wang Erniu, who naturally agreed. He had also lost his parents early, and since Aunt Hu's family came, Uncle Hu had been really good to him. Whenever he heard that he wanted to go back to the village, he would open the door for him no matter how late it was, which was especially heartwarming, even though he could climb over the wall.

Inside the kitchen, Sister-in-law Nie and Aunt Liu were busy making jerky. This morning, they had slaughtered a large, 200-pound pig. The pig's head and offal were braised, and the bones were simmered in broth. The villagers could have an extra meal today. The meat was cut into thin strips and marinated with ginger, scallions, garlic, salt, and soy sauce for an hour before being put directly into the oven. They started baking it at dawn and continued until lights out at night. Aunt Liu and Sister-in-law Nie packed it into bags and weighed it. It was about 50 pounds of jerky, enough for the journey from Linxia to Fujian, which would take about a month.

That evening, on the children's shared sleeping platform, everyone was chattering away. The fact that Chen Xuanyu was leaving the next day was a huge deal; they had been together for so long and had never been apart.

Xiao Hao and Shiwu were naturally going to go together, so Chen Xuanyu took the initiative to find Chengcheng and ask him if he wanted to go together.

Chengcheng hesitated. The two Taoist priests of Wudang had already accepted him as a disciple, and his swordsmanship had been improving day by day. Taoist priest Zhang Chang said that he had already entered the path and planned to take him up the mountain. He did not know how to choose, so he went to find Da Xiong.

Without the slightest hesitation, Da Xiong said directly, "Let's go to Wudang!"

"But what if Xuan-ge doesn't like me anymore in the future?"

"No, the fact that he came to ask you means he's willing to listen to your opinion. And only by becoming stronger can you protect him, right?" Da Xiong always believed that only by becoming powerful could he protect others, and that's what he always did.

"Okay!" Chengcheng listened to the advice.

"Brother Xuan!"

Perhaps it was time to leave, and the group of friends, who were very close, were reluctant to part. For the first time ever, Shiwu gave up the seat next to Chen Xuanyu to Chengcheng, because he couldn't leave with them.

"I'm here." Chen Xuanyu was also a little reluctant to part with him, and his chubby little hand grasped the same chubby little hand next to him.

"Don't forget me, okay? Once I've become a master, I'll come find you and protect you all, sob sob sob." Chengcheng became more and more heartbroken as she thought about it.

"Okay, okay, don't cry. I won't forget you. I'll wait for you. Train hard and become a great hero in the future."

“That’s right, that’s right, a hero doesn’t cry.” Fifteen added.

"What's a real man crying about?" Xiao Hao said earnestly.

"I can't bear to part with you all!"

These words brought a bittersweet feeling to the children on the dormitory.

"Don't cry, here, have some!" Fifteen pulled out a piece of dried meat from somewhere.

"Huh, where did you come from?" Chengcheng looked in surprise at the little boy in his pajamas who magically produced the item.

"Never mind that, are you going to eat it or not? This is my last one."

"Eat!" Unable to resist the temptation of the jerky, Chengcheng started eating, while the other little ones watched longingly.

"I don't have any left, it's no use looking at them, Auntie just gave me a few." Fifteen Little spread his hands and said shamelessly.

"Brother Chengcheng, is it delicious?" Little Bean Sprout crawled over, drooling, and stared at him, asking. The other kids nearby did the same, though some were a little embarrassed.

"Uh!" Chengcheng couldn't eat much, but the jerky was really delicious.

"Brother Chengcheng, can I have just a tiny bit? I just want to try it." Little Bean Sprout was so hungry that her drool dripped onto the sheets.

"Here you go!" Chengcheng shoved it into his mouth.

Uh-huh!