Wang Xue saw the bottle of medicinal oil on the stone mill, he opened it and saw that it was brand new and full. How could it be used? It was snowing heavily that day, and he didn’t know whether it was bought or stored before.

　　No matter what, Wang Xue’s eyes turned red as he held the bottle of medicine oil.

　　”Dad.” Xiaotian went into the kitchen to help light the fire. Seeing his father wiping his tears on his back, he became anxious and asked, “Dad, is your leg hurting again?”

　　Wang Xue wiped his tears and said, “No.” Seeing his son’s worried face, he said, “Brother Zhou Zhou just sent a bottle of medicated oil over. Don’t tell anyone. I applied the medicine and it’s all right now.”

　　Xiaotian knew that he couldn’t say anything careless, otherwise his grandparents would scold his father again.

　　”Dad, please wipe it quickly. I’m watching for people.” Xiaotian stood at the door of the kitchen and watched.

　　Wang Xue felt very sad. He was right at home, but he had to be on guard against others when applying the medicated oil. This was not his and his son’s home; he was an outsider.

　　Xiaotian was watching, and when he smelled the medicated oil, he felt nervous but happy. Daddy’s leg pain would go away after applying the medicated oil. Brother Zhou Zhou is really good.

　　It would be great if he could grow up quickly and become stronger so that he could work in the fields. His family has few fields, so he can let his father have a rest. He can finish the work by himself and can also go to work for his brother Zhou Zhou’s family.

　　But he is so small.

　　When will I grow up?

　　In a blink of an eye, it is the fifteenth day, and after the Lantern Festival, the new year is over.

　　Last time, Li Da bought glutinous rice flour, and the family made Yuanxiao for this year. Li Zhouzhou prepared two kinds of fillings, one with brown sugar and peanuts, and the other with black sesame and peanuts. Li Zhouzhou didn’t give away the sugar cubes that Zhu Nijiang’s son brought last time, but now it’s just right to use them.

　　Black sesame seeds and peanuts were fried in an iron pan, the peanuts were peeled and crushed with a pestle. This step was the responsibility of Gu Zhao, who said, “Make sure the peanuts are crushed just right, and the crushed peanuts are neither too small nor too big.”

　　Once it’s ready, melt the lard and knead it into balls with the brown sugar and peanuts. Put them outside to freeze when it’s cold and the lard will solidify quickly. Then dip the core in some water and sprinkle glutinous rice flour on a bamboo dustpan. Shake it back and forth to roll the filling, and soon you will have plump white balls.

　　Put it in boiling water and eat it when it floats up.

　　You don’t need to add anything, the glutinous rice soup is delicious. The Yuanxiao are round and plump, one bite at a time, oily, sweet and sticky. Then take a sip of the soup, it’s really comfortable.

　　After Gu Zhao ate two bowls, Li Zhouzhou secretly smiled in his heart, thinking that his husband really liked sweet food.

　　Then Gu Zhao fed him with a spoon.

　　”Zhou Zhou should also eat more, and be safe and round.” Gu Zhao said.

　　This thing is not cheap because it is mixed with sugar. It is not easy to make on weekdays. Zhou Zhou ate his first and was reluctant to have a second portion. Gu Zhao scooped a second bowl and shared it with Zhou Zhou. You took a bite and I took a bite. It tasted even better.

　　When the New Year comes, the lazy farmers who had been staying at home during the winter start to work. In fact, there is nothing else they can do, but they still go to the fields every few days. They feel anxious if they don’t look at the fields for a day. Only when they see the snow melt and the wheat seedlings sprout, they feel at ease.

　　Not frozen.

　　During this period, Zhu the clay craftsman’s son came to visit and brought the big teapot that Gu Zhao had mentioned last time in a basket. Li Zhouzhou offered money, but the other party refused to take it. Finally, Li Zhouzhou gave him some of the sausages he had made at home.

　　Two days after the weather got warmer, Li Zhouzhou said the land was dry and easy to walk on, so he went to town with his husband.

　　Originally, Li Zhouzhou said that his husband didn’t need to go there, it was too tiring. Gu Zhao said he would go there early, he also wanted to exercise. Mainly to buy marinade ingredients, he knew star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, etc. Maybe the pharmacy nowadays doesn’t call them by these names, so he gestured to Zhouzhou, in case he bought the wrong ones and wasted money, so he would go there in person.

　　The two set off early.

　　Maybe this winter, Gu Zhaoy drank bone soup every day, and after sitting at his desk for a long time, he moved his body and did some work, such as climbing up and down, sweeping snow and chopping firewood, so he didn’t feel too tired when he walked today.

　　Anyway, I didn’t have the same gritted teeth feeling as the first time I went there.

　　When they got to the town, Li Zhouzhou praised him, “My husband was really great today. He didn’t even rest for a while.”

　　Gu Zhao: …

　　Wife, you seem to be praising the cub.

　　They arrived early and asked the townspeople, who showed them the way and said the pharmacy was not open yet. They went to the breakfast stand to rest, and had soybean milk for one penny and white cakes for two pennies. The cakes were smeared with lard and baked in an iron pan, so they were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

　　The two of them ordered a pancake. They had eaten it at home when they came, so now they just had a bite to eat.

　　After eating and feeling warm, they went to the pharmacy. The door of the pharmacy had just opened, and the shop assistant was cleaning up. When he saw the two of them, he stopped his rag work and asked if they wanted to get some medicine and see the prescription.

　　”No, I want to ask if the store sells star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, and cardamom. Actually, I can’t remember the names, I have only seen their appearance. Could you please take out some similar ones for me to see?” Gu Zhao asked.

　　The store opened early in the morning and there were not many people in it. The waiter was patient and said, “We have cinnamon bark. Are the star anise you mentioned the ones in coins?” He then took some out and put them on the counter for him to see.

　　Gu Zhao took a look and saw that it was true.

　　At this time, the price of medicinal materials is generally higher, at least higher than daily necessities, because they need to be picked and processed, but fortunately there are no particularly precious herbs among them. I bought a bag and spent thirty cents.

　　The same price as sugar cubes.

　　The clerk packed the goods and collected the money. Gu Zhao and Li Zhouzhou were walking out when a three-wheeled wooden cart blocked their way. The man shouted, “Excuse me, the bag of stone powder you ordered has been delivered.”

　　Gu Zhao stopped and saw the linen bag on the cart. White powder was seeping out of the gap. Suddenly, he thought of something!

　　In ancient times, when there was a plague, they would spread lime powder and then sprinkle water on it to produce slaked lime and calcium hydroxide to kill bacteria and disinfect!

　　Why didn’t he think of it at that time!