The next day, when Li Lingyun woke up, Anning was no longer on the heated brick bed.
Li Lingyun put on his straw sandals, got off the bed, pulled open the door, and went out, seeing Anning turning over the grass drying in the yard.
Li Lingyun walked down the steps and said, "Don't turn it over anymore. Let's tidy up and go to Town to buy some things for your return visit."
Anning abruptly looked up, her large eyes filled with disbelief: "Return visit?"
She hadn't expected Li Lingyun to accompany her on a return visit, or even to let her go back.
Although her parents didn't expect her to return, it was, after all, the home where she had lived for seventeen years, and she still wanted to go back and see it.
Moreover, there was still that little one she cared about there.
Li Lingyun saw her squatting motionless, looked up at the sky, and said, "We need to leave quickly. Yangshu Town is to the west, but your home is to the east. After we buy things, we'll have to go back to your place."
A hint of joy flashed in Anning's eyes. She got up, went back to the kitchen to wash her face, tidied her clothes, and then softly said, "I'm ready."
Li Lingyun looked at her patched clothes and sighed inwardly. Their family was too poor. Once he earned money, he would definitely replace both their clothes first.
Of course, he had no plans to buy clothes right now.
He only had a total of 2,605 copper coins. After buying necessities, there would be nothing left. If he used it to buy clothes, they would both starve.
He also washed his face, went back to the room to get the cloth bundle with the copper coins, locked the door, and then the two of them left, one after the other.
On the way, they met many villagers going to work in the fields. Seeing the two of them, they all asked if he had separated from the Li family and for what reason.
Li Lingyun smiled and greeted the villagers, explaining that he had started his own family, and it was no longer appropriate to live with his uncle's family, so he moved out.
He didn't mention that Li Chengcai had driven him out. That information only needed to be told to one person; soon enough, the villagers would naturally know.
If he kept repeating it himself, it would only annoy the villagers.
There was only one road leading out of Qingquan Village, built about four or five meters from the riverbank.
Following this road, going west past one village would lead to Yangshu Town. Anning's home, Daqian Village, was to the east of Qingquan Village, almost near where two large mountains connected.
There were also ox carts for hire on this road, but they were rare. During the busy farming season, only two families did this business. Li Lingyun didn't see an ox cart, so they could only walk to Town.
Fortunately, going to Town didn't require crossing mountains, so walking wasn't very tiring for them.
After walking for a while, Li Lingyun found that his worn-out straw sandals were hurting his feet!
But he could only endure it.
Alas, he truly didn't know when this difficult life would end.
The two walked one after the other, neither speaking a word along the way.
After walking five li and reaching Wangjia Village, Li Lingyun found an ox cart by the roadside. Three people were already sitting on it, and the driver was about to leave.
Li Lingyun was overjoyed and quickly pulled Anning towards the ox cart: "Wait, there are two more people here."
The cart driver heard the sound and stopped to wait for them.
Li Lingyun ran to the front of the cart and then remembered he was still holding Anning's hand. He casually let go and said, "Go on, let's take the ox cart to Town."
Anning glanced at her hand, said nothing, just nodded lightly, and got into the cart.
Li Lingyun waited for Anning to get in, then sat at the back of the cart.
Seeing that both were seated, the cart driver urged the ox cart towards Town.
There were three middle-aged women sitting in the cart. Seeing the two young people get in, one of the women teased, "Are you two lovebirds going to Town to buy things?"
Li Lingyun smiled and replied, "Yes, Auntie. We're going to buy some things and accompany a family member on a return visit to her maiden home."
He didn't know how to introduce Anning, so he vaguely referred to her as a family member.
But these words were automatically reinterpreted by the listeners. The woman teased, "Oh, he's a doting husband, very good."
Anning's expression visibly froze when she heard Li Lingyun call her "family member." She lowered her head, lost in thought.
The woman next to her said to her, "Girl, your husband truly dotes on you. Live well together; good days are ahead."
Hearing the woman's words, Anning nodded lightly and softly said, "Okay."
Li Lingyun had wanted to explain a bit more, but seeing Anning say nothing, he also remained silent.
Anyway, it was difficult to explain, and since Anning didn't mind, there was no need for him to explain too clearly to outsiders.
The ox cart swayed along, and an hour later, they arrived at Town.
Li Lingyun paid two copper coins for the fare, arranged with the driver to meet at the Town Entrance in an hour, and then entered the Town with Anning.
The Town wasn't very prosperous, just a long street with shops on both sides. Many temporary stalls were set up in front of the shops, selling all sorts of things.
By now, the sun was already high, and Li Lingyun's stomach rumbled with hunger.
He found a noodle stall, sat down, and asked the owner for two bowls of noodles.
The owner, seeing customers, happily told them to wait a moment, the noodles would be ready soon.
Li Lingyun pulled Anning to sit down, waiting for the owner to serve the noodles.
Anning softly said, "One bowl is enough."
Li Lingyun knew she wanted to save him money, so he deliberately said, "What, do you want to eat it all by yourself?"
Anning quickly shook her head, anxiously saying, "No, I'm not hungry. You eat."
"Hmph, I don't have a habit of eating alone," Li Lingyun said, taking a teacup from the side, pouring a bowl of water, and pushing it in front of Anning, then pouring one for himself.
Although he had only spent a day with Anning, Li Lingyun could tell that, aside from her resistance to his touch, there was truly nothing to criticize about her in other aspects.
She was diligent, kind-hearted, not greedy, and knew how to save him money.
He was quite willing to have such a person as a roommate—low-maintenance and not annoying.
Anning said nothing more, picked up the bowl, and slowly drank the water.
Li Lingyun gulped down two bowls of water to quench his thirst, and the owner's noodles arrived.
The two bowls of noodles were a good portion. Although the noodles were made of mixed grains, they were topped with a layer of chopped green onions, looking quite appetizing.
Li Lingyun pushed one bowl of noodles to Anning and picked up the other, eating heartily.
Anning swallowed, picked up her chopsticks, and slowly ate the noodles.
She ate very slowly, as if savoring some rare delicacy.
Li Lingyun had finished, but she hadn't even eaten half of hers.
So Li Lingyun patiently waited for her.
Anning took a few more bites and softly said, "I... I'm full."
She hadn't eaten so freely in a long time. Long-term underfeeding had shrunk her stomach, and she couldn't finish such a large bowl of noodles.
Li Lingyun saw that she truly couldn't eat anymore, so he picked up the bowl in front of her, finished the noodles in a few bites, and even drank the soup.
In this era, having food to eat was good enough. He wouldn't be picky about others' leftovers, at least not Anning's.
He hadn't eaten his fill these past few days. With this half-bowl of food, his stomach was finally full.
Anning quietly watched him until he put down the bowl, then she withdrew her gaze.