Chapter 17: Rejected

As soon as Chen Daliu stepped out of the grain station, the clerk hurriedly pulled down the curtain, afraid that if she was a moment too late, another person like him would show up. If it were someone from the county town, they wouldn't dare offend the people at the grain station, for fear of being given a hard time when buying grain. But as for rural farmers, they didn't have ration coupons to buy grain anyway. Since they couldn't buy any, they certainly weren't afraid to make a fuss.

Sitting on the ox cart, Chen Daliu hummed to himself, thinking, what an attitude! If he weren't worried about making his grandaunt wait, he would have had time to argue with them. Did they really think he was one of those cowed types? Niu Luo Village had sent out several young men who became soldiers, teachers, or factory workers in the outside world. The tricks city people used to bully others—they understood them all.

It was already the next morning when Bai Xi saw Chen Daliu. He had arrived home late the previous night and didn't want to disturb her. When he heard that his grandaunt had shared a bowl of meat with his family, Chen Daliu felt deeply ashamed that he hadn't managed to handle things properly and had let her worry.

Chen Daliu's son, now eighteen, listened to his father talking and couldn't help but mutter inwardly, What is Dad saying? It was true their grandaunt had given them some meat, but to say she was troubled on their behalf was a stretch. She was just a child herself—how much could she possibly know about worry?

"You're back? Did you sell everything?" Bai Xi had just finished breakfast.

The last bit of meat was eaten with millet porridge that morning. Now, seeing Chen Daliu, she suddenly regretted not saving one of the wild rabbits.

"Yes, thank you for your concern, grandaunt. I got home last night, but it was too late, so I didn't come to bother you."

"Grandaunt, when I got to the county—"

As Chen Daliu began to recount every detail, Bai Xi rubbed her ears in exasperation. Seeing that he was about to explain even his journey home, she raised her hand to cut him off.

"Xiao Liu, you're just over forty, aren't you?" The flower spirit called him that without thinking, so it rolled off Bai Xi's tongue even more naturally.

Chen Daliu was briefly taken aback, then nodded. "Yes, grandaunt, I’m forty-two."

"You're not old yet, so why are you as long-winded as Old Black Li?"

"Uh…" Was he being chided?

Chen Daliu was stunned, feeling a bit aggrieved. Was he really long-winded? Of all the village heads in the neighboring villages, he was the most straightforward and efficient! Still, he didn't dare retort. Glancing down at his pocket, he remembered something and quickly took out the remaining money and grain coupons after buying the rice, respectfully placing them on the table before Bai Xi. "Grandaunt, I bought five jin of rice; here's what's left: sixty-seven yuan and sixty cents, plus twenty-three jin in grain coupons."

Rice at the grain station cost twenty-eight cents per jin; five jin cost a yuan and twenty-four cents plus five jin in grain coupons. Cornmeal was a bit cheaper at ten cents per jin, but it had long since sold out.

Besides, Chen Daliu knew that even if there were any left, they wouldn't have sold it to him. You couldn’t push people to the brink; five jin of fine grain was good enough.

Bai Xi glanced at the pile of scattered coins and nodded.

As they were talking, Bai Xi vaguely heard Chen Rui’s voice outside. She looked out the window—Chen Rui must have gone off to cut pigweed again.

"In a bit, take two yuan and see who’s going to the county next time. Have them buy some milk candies," Bai Xi said after thinking for a moment, specifically instructing, "Get the big white rabbit milk candy."

She’d eaten some from Chen Rui; now she’d buy more to return the favor and share some with the village children. After all, she'd caused trouble, and they'd been unlucky enough to be punished too.

Chen Daliu assumed Bai Xi wanted the candy herself and wasn’t surprised—the grandaunt was still a child, after all.

"Alright, grandaunt, don’t worry. If anyone from the village goes to the county these days, I’ll have them bring it back."

As for the money, when Chen Daliu left, he didn’t touch a single cent. It was just a few candies; how could he let the grandaunt pay?

Left alone at home, Bai Xi had just finished breakfast and didn't know what to do. She climbed onto the couch, leaning lazily, and started fiddling with her qiankun pouch.

From the flower spirit’s memories and what she’d seen and heard these days—plus what Chen Daliu had just reported—Bai Xi understood: these were destitute times. Even the city folk were so short on food that some were getting puffy from malnutrition.

Looking at the bag of rice on the table, Bai Xi didn’t need to ask to know how hard these five jin of rice were to come by.

In the Heavenly Realm, she’d been picky even about spiritual rice, and never imagined she’d one day end up in such a plight.

She subconsciously looked up, but after a moment’s thought, she held back any curses. She was afraid that if Heaven took offense, dealing with her now would be as easy as snapping fingers.

In a blink, another two days passed.

After a day of eating meat and two more days of plain food, Bai Xi could no longer stand it. She glanced at Chen Rui, who was peeling peanuts nearby, and beckoned her over.

These past two days, the village head seemed uneasy and had Chen Rui come keep Bai Xi company in the treehouse after finishing her chores.

To call it "keeping company" was a stretch—she just followed Bai Xi everywhere, like a little shadow.

The village was only so big; where could Bai Xi go? Besides, it was too hot under the sun, and she was too lazy to wander. At least the treehouse was cool.

"Grandaunt, would you like some water?" asked Chen Rui.

Bai Xi shook her head. "Are you bored?"

Chen Rui answered without thinking, "Not at all."

How could she be bored? Even if she wasn’t following the grandaunt, she’d be working.

Bai Xi rolled her eyes at that, poked Chen Rui’s cheek with her chubby hand, and asked, "When are you going to cut pigweed tomorrow?"

At this, Chen Rui immediately understood her intent and grabbed Bai Xi's hand, saying earnestly, "Grandaunt, you really can’t go."

The village head had warned her—if she took the grandaunt up the mountain again, her father would have to discipline her. She hadn’t been beaten this time, but had been scolded for two days.

Of course, Chen Rui didn’t blame Bai Xi, but she was afraid. That moment when she lost sight of Bai Xi still haunted her.

It could be said that, while she listened to Bai Xi, taking her up the mountain again wouldn’t be so easy.

"I never said I wanted to go; I’m just asking," Bai Xi replied crossly, pulling her hand back. "I can’t even get up that early."

Chen Rui wanted to say something but held back. She just muttered inwardly, Last time was early too, and the grandaunt still came along.

Bai Xi didn’t care what Chen Rui was muttering. She’d been thinking these past two days—she couldn’t rely on tagging along with Chen Rui to the mountain and always chancing upon wild rabbits.

But giving up meat was too hard. Thankfully, she’d had some rice these days; otherwise, Bai Xi would have broken down already. Even so, her patience was nearly at its limit.

Perhaps Chen Rui sensed Bai Xi’s little cravings. No matter what Bai Xi said, she’d either reply sweetly or just smile at her, so that even if Bai Xi got annoyed, she couldn’t vent her frustration.