The little one's purse connects the two worlds, turning a desolate village into a paradise.

Zhao Haohao busied himself in the house for a while, rummaging through drawers and cabinets to tidy up things.

Cao Xiulian outside was urging him so hard her voice was practically rising before Zhao Haohao finally shuffled out of the house.

Cao Xiulian glanced at him and immediately burst out laughing: "What are you doing fussing around in the house? I asked you to go to the shop and help out cook noodles, why are you dressed so formally?"

Zhao Haohao straightened his red scarf, tugged at his purple Kuromi windbreaker, and patted the squad leader patch on his arm. "Was it grand? It was alright, I'm off, Mom!"

As he spoke, he headed towards the door, carrying a large backpack on his back, the contents of which were probably a bunch of odds and ends.

"Let me tell you, there will be a lot of oil and smoke in the shop, and your clothes will get dirty. Don't cry then."

Zhao Haohao puffed out his chest, looking smug: "Mom, don't worry about anything else, look at me! Don't I look incredibly cool? I'm about to be promoted to second-level squad leader!"

"Alright, alright, my Captain Zhao is really something else, let's go."

Cao Xiulian and Zhao Haohao rushed downstairs, where a stack of steamed buns and mantou dough she had prepared was already placed in the cargo bed of the tricycle she used for setting up her stall.

The two squeezed into the driver's seat, and Cao Xiulian twisted the accelerator, pulling her son towards the Huaya shop.

This was Zhao Haohao's first time visiting his mother's shop. As soon as he entered, he started wandering around: "Wow, Mom, your little shop is quite nice, with two floors. What's upstairs for? Private rooms?"

"Upstairs is Ya Ya's little room. Don't go up there and make a mess of her room," Cao Xiulian said, carrying stacks of steamers without turning her head.

Zhao Haohao obediently said "Oh," and then touched the empty wooden shelf against the wall by the door: "Mom, why is this shelf empty? Where are we going to put our steamed buns and mantou? Should we make something else to sell?"

Cao Xiulian shoved the rag in her hand into her son's hand: "Are you here to inspect the store or to work? Calm down and go wipe the shelves and tables clean."

Suppressed by his bloodline, Zhao Haohao obediently picked up a rag and started working. As the mother and son were busy, a small figure suddenly peeked into the shop. The little girl had two round little pigtails and was wearing a large blue factory uniform. The uniform was so long that it covered her ankles. It swayed with every step she took, loosely wrapped around her thin body, making her look both comical and cute.

Gurgling?

A word popped into Zhao Haohao's mind.

Ya Ya stood blankly at the door, looking at the unfamiliar young man who had appeared in the shop. She took two steps back and looked up at the sign at the door: Flower Sprout Shop. She hadn't gone to the wrong place.

"Ya Ya is here! Come in quickly!" Cao Xiulian saw Ya Ya standing in a daze at the door through the window where steamed buns were being handed out and waved her over.

"Auntie!" Seeing her familiar aunt, Ya Ya finally felt relieved, picked up the small basket of scallions, and pushed the door open again to enter the store.

"Haohao, come over and say hello to your sister."

Zhao Haohao subconsciously raised his hand and tugged at his red scarf, puffing out his little chest and deliberately bringing his squad leader armband closer to Ya Ya's eyes, striking a pose like a steady older brother: "Hello, Ya Ya, I'm Zhao Haohao, you can just call me Brother Zhao."

Cao Xiulian: ...

Ya Ya looked up at the slightly chubby little boy in front of her. He did look a bit like her aunt. She immediately smiled sweetly at Zhao Haohao and said, "Hello, Brother Zhao!"

Thank goodness it wasn't Brother Zhao, otherwise I wouldn't be able to tell them apart!

"Auntie, my bucket is still outside and can't be carried in." After greeting Zhao Haohao, Ya Ya pointed to the door and said to Cao Xiulian.

Zhao Haohao: Didn't she see my bright red scarf and the squad leader's badge? Aren't you going to praise me? I'm the squad leader!

"Wait for Auntie to carry it." Cao Xiulian glanced outside and saw two large insulated buckets, but no wild vegetables in sight.

"Let me help you carry it, Brother Zhao. I'm very strong!"

Zhao Haohao rolled up his sleeves and walked outside.

Ya Ya glanced at it and muttered softly, "You don't look like you can lift it. My bucket is heavy!"

"I'm sure I can do it." Zhao Haohao was unconvinced. He pushed open the door and went out. When he saw the two large insulated buckets that were half his height, his face visibly darkened. Then he spat on his hands twice, gathered his energy in his dantian, assumed a small horse stance, hugged the heavy insulated buckets with both hands, and strained to lift them up as hard as he could, his little face turning red.

The bucket remained completely still.

He refused to believe it and mustered all his strength to pull the bucket one last time, but his hand slipped and he landed on his bottom with a "plop".

"Pfft!" Ya Ya covered her mouth as she looked at Zhao Haohao on the ground.

Zhao Haohao's face turned bright red as he covered his buttocks. It was so embarrassing, so incredibly embarrassing. He scrambled to his feet and quickly hid behind the worktable, refusing to show his face.

Cao Xiulian laughed when she saw his embarrassing state.

"You're just gaining weight, not strength. You need to train more." Cao Xiulian laughed as she carried two large buckets from the doorway into the shop. "Why are there two buckets today?"

"One bucket is soup made from free-range chicken and snails, and the other bucket is sauce made by Aunt Chuntao. She heard that all the sauce in the shop was used up, so she specially made a lot more," Ya Ya and Cao Xiulian explained.

Cao Xiulian nodded and instructed the two children: "Then you two lend a hand. Each of you take a small spoon and put all the sauce into the jar. I washed and put away the empty jars from yesterday. Remember to wash your hands first."

"good!"

After Ya Ya and Zhao Hao Hao, whose hands were red and rosy, washed their hands clean, they huddled together. The two little ones brought over an empty jar, and Ya Ya opened the thermos containing the meat sauce.

The rich, tangy aroma of meat sauce wafted from the bucket, still warm, and Zhao Haohao swallowed hard.

"Isn't this the sauce my mom brought home the day before yesterday? It's so delicious with rice! Wow, there's so much of it! It even looks like there's more meat than the one from the day before yesterday!"

As Zhao Haohao spoke, he prepared to scoop a spoonful for himself to eat first.

Cao Xiulian tapped his hand with her chopsticks: "What's wrong? Didn't I give you breakfast this morning? You're so greedy."

Zhao Haohao said, feeling wronged, "Mom, I didn't eat breakfast this morning..."

Auntie didn't give Brother Zhao breakfast?

Ya Ya looked at Cao Xiulian in surprise, then at the chubby Zhao Haohao. Could it be that they couldn't afford to raise him?

"Brother Zhao, do you eat spicy food? I have some chicken feet made by Aunt Chuntao." Ya Ya took out a bag of chicken feet from her pocket and handed it to Zhao Haohao.

Zhao Haohao's eyes lit up instantly.

The plastic bag was still fogged up, and it looked like freshly made chicken feet. He took the plastic bag from Ya Ya's hand and couldn't wait to pull one out and put it in his mouth.

The rich sauce coating the chicken feet coats the tip of the tongue, with the sweet aftertaste of spices followed by the fresh spiciness of chili slowly unfolding. The soft and chewy skin of the chicken feet has a slightly bouncy and gelatinous texture, and the collagen melts in your mouth. The aroma of the sauce permeates every corner of the chicken feet.

"Waaaaah, so delicious! Sis, you're my real sister, waaaaah~" Zhao Haohao ate a chicken foot in a few bites, sucking his fingers as he howled.