Chapter 29: Picking Up a Bowl from the Ditch (Part 2)

While Mu Mian had no interest, Xiao Xuehua was having a great time. She plucked one blade of grass after another and threw them, playing enthusiastically, even though no one was competing with her.

Mu Mian found a shaded spot nearby and sat down, occasionally glancing at the children to make sure Xiao Xuehua didn’t accidentally fall into the ditch.

Since she had brought her out, she had to keep a close eye on her.

Feeling bored, Mu Mian absentmindedly picked some grass and started braiding it. The grass was soft, and after weaving halfway, the thing in her hands turned limp. It looked neither like a dog nor a rabbit.

Her legs dangled over the edge of the ditch, swinging from time to time. Once she finished braiding the unrecognizable shape, Mu Mian glanced at Xiao Xuehua, who was still playing, and got up to pick some wildflowers nearby.

Maybe she had been influenced by Xu Lele. Now, whenever she saw wildflowers, she wanted to pluck a few and tuck them behind her ears.

Just as she was pushing off the ground with her heel, something rolled down with a clatter.

Mu Mian leaned over and looked down. At first, she thought it was a rock, but when she took a closer look, she realized it was a broken bowl covered in a thick layer of mud.

She climbed down into the ditch, picked it up, and examined it. Then, she knocked it against the dirt slope beside her. It didn’t seem like ceramic.

It looked intact. It would be perfect for holding water for the old hens at home.

The previous water bowl for the hens already had a crack from their constant pecking. It probably wouldn’t last much longer before it completely broke.

Mu Mian picked up the mud-covered bowl and climbed back up from the ditch. By the time she plucked a handful of wildflowers and returned, Nidan and the other boys had already moved on to another game.

Mu Mian couldn’t quite understand it, but it seemed to involve chasing each other around. Before she knew it, they were running toward the mountain.

Maybe it was the heat or just the endless energy of children, but this time, Xiao Xuehua didn’t follow. She yawned several times in a row, looking completely exhausted.

Holding the bowl and wildflowers, Mu Mian walked over, picked up her little niece, and headed toward her eldest uncle’s house.

Xiao Xuehua, half-asleep, rested her head on her aunt’s shoulder. Her tiny arm pointed in the direction Nidan had run. “Chase… brother…”

Mu Mian: “………………”

She was already this sleepy and still wanted to chase after him? No way was she carrying a child up the mountain.

Mu Mian gently patted the little girl’s back and coaxed, “Alright, we’re chasing right now. Once you wake up, we’ll have already caught up.”

Miraculously, as soon as she said that, Xiao Xuehua actually fell asleep.

Mu Mian twitched the corner of her mouth. Falling asleep in one second—how was that even possible?

She was like a machine that shut down instantly.

A two-year-old wasn’t heavy, so Mu Mian carried her effortlessly with one arm.

By the time she reached the house, the adults inside were still chatting. Whatever they were talking about must have been amusing because Mu Fugui suddenly let out a loud laugh.

The little girl in Mu Mian’s arms stirred, as if she had been woken up by the noise.

Just as Mu Mian stepped through the courtyard gate, the people sitting under the eaves turned to look at her.

Mei Haoli walked over and said, “I knew she’d fall asleep halfway. Weren’t you tired carrying her all the way?”

Mu Mian shook her head. “Not at all, Cousin-in-law. Xiao Xuehua is very light.”

Liu Shuangcui remained seated and asked, “What are you holding?”

Mu Mian raised her hand and shook it slightly. “I picked it up by the small ditch. It looks like a bowl.”

Liu Shuangcui laughed. “Why are you picking up a broken bowl?”

Mu Mian had a proud expression, as if she was exceptionally clever. “I’ll take it home and use it to hold water for the old hen.”

Perhaps because they were talking too loudly, the little girl in Mu Mian’s arms started to whimper just as Mei Haoli came over to take her.

Mu Mian said, “She seems to be waking up.”

Mei Haoli reached out. “It’s fine. Just put her on the bed. She’ll fall asleep again in a while.”

Mu Mian was about to let go, but before she could pass the child over, a small accident occurred.

Before her arm could fully extend, she suddenly felt a rush of warmth against her chest and arm. A hot stream of liquid flowed straight onto her chest, and a few drops even dripped onto the ground.

Mei Haoli reacted quickly. “Oh my! She peed!”

As she spoke, she hurriedly took her daughter into her arms.

Xiao Xuehua, unaware of what she had done, whimpered twice in her mother’s arms before dozing off again.

Mu Mian stood frozen for two seconds.

She never expected that the first time she was peed on in her life would be by her little niece.

She had carried Xiao Mai and Xiao Miao so many times, and neither of them had ever peed on her.

Liu Shuangcui walked up in a few quick steps and glanced at her. “It’s quite a lot. Just wring it out, and it’ll dry in a bit.”

Mu Mian snapped out of her daze and looked up at her mother with wide eyes, her expression screaming…

Are you serious?

There was no way she was wringing it out.

Even if it was her little niece, she still found it disgusting.

Liu Tao burst into laughter. “You’re lucky! I’ve been pooped on before. Come on, I’ll find you one of my old shirts to change into. It’ll be uncomfortable wearing it after it dries.”

Mu Mian found a dry spot and lifted the corner of her shirt, trying to keep the damp fabric as far from her body as possible.

Hearing what Liu Tao said, she quickly followed her cousin inside, walking as fast as she could.

Liu Tao rummaged through her things for a while and finally pulled out an old, wrinkled, and patched-up shirt. It was one she had worn while working in the fields and had been altered from one of Liu Cheng’s shirts.

The shirt was two sizes too big for Mu Mian. The hem reached her knees, and the sleeves were so long they looked like something out of an opera costume.

Still, it was better than wearing something soaked in pee.

Even though it was old, at least it was clean.

When Mu Mian walked out after changing, Mu Fugui laughed first. “Now you really look like a scavenger.”

Mu Mian picked up the broken bowl she had set aside earlier, hunched over, and started acting, tapping the bowl while pretending to hobble. “Kind folks, have mercy! Spare some change for a poor soul…”

The adults were so amused they slapped their thighs in laughter. Liu Shuangcui pointed at her daughter. “You’re always fooling around.”

Mu Fugui was thoroughly entertained. “Girl, this won’t do. You look too clean. At the very least, you need to smear some dirt on your face.”

As a supportive uncle, Liu Dezheng reached into his pocket and pulled out a one-cent coin. “Look at this pitiful child. Haven’t eaten for half an hour, have you? Take this and buy some candy.”

Mu Mian’s eyes sparkled, and she stayed in character. “Thank you! Thank you! You’re a kind soul. May you live a long and peaceful life!”

Liu Cheng patted his leg and searched his own pocket. “Just for that blessing, this penny is well spent.”

Now with two cents in hand, Mu Mian was overjoyed. But then, she heard Mei Haoli, who had just finished settling her daughter inside, ask, “Where did you get that money?”

Liu Cheng froze. “My dad gave it to me.”

Having once hidden private money himself, Liu Dezheng decided to help his son for the sake of family harmony. He silently nodded. “Yes, I gave it to him.”

Avoiding any potential trouble between her cousin and his wife, Mu Mian quickly turned and left, tucking her two cents safely into her pocket.

When Nidan came running back after playing, he followed her example and went to his father and grandfather, asking for money too, making the adults laugh even more.

Seeing that it was getting late, Liu Shuangcui called for Mu Mian and her father. It was time to go home.

Mu Mian carried her dirty clothes in one hand and the broken bowl she had picked up for the old hen’s drinking water in the other, then climbed onto the back seat of the bicycle.

Liu Shuangcui said, “Put them in the front basket.”

Mu Mian handed them over. She had rinsed the bowl with water earlier, washing off some of the dirt, though there were still stubborn stains that would need scrubbing at home.

It was a copper bowl, very sturdy. This time, the old hen wouldn’t be able to peck a crack in it.

As Liu Shuangcui placed the dirty clothes and the bowl in the basket, Mu Mian happened to glance at it.

She hadn’t thought much of it before, but now, the more she looked at it, the more familiar the engraved pattern seemed.