Su Miaomiao had already sat up and cautiously pulled the wooden window open a crack. The cold air immediately seeped into the carriage, and she scrutinized the outside.
Cheng Hao also grabbed a jacket from the side after waking up, wrapped it around Su Miaomiao, and then looked out. The guards on watch had already begun to issue warnings.
"Who's there?!"
"Hold on! Hold on! It's friendly! We're all refugees, don't hurt us!"
A high-pitched voice, somewhat familiar, faintly came from the other side.
Cheng Hao frowned.
After a moment's thought.
"Isn't that the voice of the Jin family's head steward? Why are they heading this way?"
Cheng Hao said, puzzled.
Outside, Ji Bo and Lai Fu had also woken up and were scrambling to get dressed. Hearing Cheng Hao's voice, they also looked over.
"Oh, it really is Steward Du. I'll go meet him. Young master, don't you worry. The Jin family and our Cheng family do business together, and we've always gotten along quite well. Let me go ask them why they're here."
Ji Bo said as he hurried down from the carriage, buttoning his clothes as he went. He also instructed Lai Fu to tidy up the bedding first, then headed over.
Lai Fu quickly tidied up the bedding, his face chapped by the cold wind.
Seeing Ji Bo rush off, Cheng Hao didn't stop him. He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that he had been so scared this morning that his heart had almost burst.
He had been fast asleep.
Suddenly, someone had arrived.
It was bound to startle people, wasn't it?
If this continued, developing neurasthenia would be a distinct possibility.
Su Miaomiao asked curiously, "The Jin family? They sound wealthy. What's their background? Weren't you studying outside before? How do you know?"
Because Lai Fu was outside, she had to inquire in a roundabout way.
There was no other way.
Who told her she had no memories?
Cheng Hao knew she was referring to the original host. As soon as he thought of the Jin family, all the data about them flooded into his mind, instantly retrieved.
"The Jin family started with rouge and powder. My father dealt in clothing, so we had some overlap in sales, or perhaps our customers were all in that circle of people who valued beauty. Thus, we often encountered them, and over time, we became familiar with each other."
Their businesses were different, so there wasn't much friction between the two families.
A few days ago, in order to escape, neither side could worry about the other. As fate would have it, they ran into each other again. Fortunately, they weren't enemies.
Over there, Ji Bo was chatting enthusiastically with Steward Du, who looked delighted.
Su Miaomiao peeked out and then quickly retracted her head. "As expected of wealthy merchants; their steward is so stout and strong. How did our Ji Bo become so thin?"
Cheng Hao, now dressed, said, "Ji Bo worries too much."
Su Miaomiao thought of the elder man's frantic efforts and nodded in agreement. She then took the toothbrush, toothpaste, and washbasin that Cheng Hao handed her.
Choosing the toothpaste with the least scent, she quietly freshened up.
Cheng Hao then emptied the washbasin into the spatial restroom and immediately took out a hot towel.
Having the space was indeed beneficial.
Many operations could be controlled with just a thought, such as heating water.
Neither of them had to look disheveled. They could even apply a thick layer of unscented moisturizer, not fearing the biting cold wind that would turn their faces red.
After tidying up.
Both of them were refreshed, and the heated food from the space could be eaten.
Cheng Hao lifted the curtain and looked outside. Seeing Lai Fu carrying the bedding to the supply vehicle, he urged Su Miaomiao to eat quickly. He himself grabbed a meat bun, thin-skinned and plump with filling, and finished it in a few bites.
He also ate two grilled sausages, a small box of oden, and finally, a cup of soy milk.
Perfect.
Su Miaomiao, meanwhile, was eating her beef sandwich and chugging milk.
To have a healthy body.
One had to eat their fill!
Relying solely on the food from the caravan would leave people starving and their minds sluggish.
It was beneficial for them to eat their fill and drink their fill; it maintained their bodily functions, kept their minds clear, and enabled them to make many correct decisions, as well as to lead others.
Currently, the caravan was merely surviving without starvation. More supplies would need to be prepared. If the beginning was this difficult, what would happen later without food?
They quickly finished their meals, tidied up the bedding, and got out of the carriage.
Lai Fu came over to ask if they needed hot water or anything else, offering to help them wash up.
Cheng Hao waved his hand, indicating no, and told him to busy himself.
Lai Fu then responded and went about his tasks.
The others also woke up and began to busy themselves, all going to chop wood.
The Xi and Cai families had already boiled several large pots of hot water, providing it for everyone to wash, drink, and to fill the caravan's water buckets.
They were near the woods.
It hadn't rained yesterday.
The firewood was almost completely dry, so they could gather some.
There would be no shortage of firewood.
Cheng Xiaotian wanted to help chop wood, but being such a small child, he was politely declined.
Li Datou laughed heartily and pointed to the grass nearby. "Little fellow, you might not even be able to lift a machete. Alright, if you want to help, go pick some wild vegetables over there. You ate them last night too, and since you're from the countryside, you should know how to identify them."
He claimed he didn't recognize them, so Cheng Xiaotian could lead the way, taking a few other children with him to forage for wild produce nearby, which could supplement their breakfast.
Cheng Dazhuang and the others also nodded, saying it was a good idea. Eating only grains wasn't good, and eating some wild vegetables was fine, preventing constipation, so they approved.
Cheng Xiaotian didn't mind at all. As long as there was work to do, that was enough!
He then called out to the other children, and they swarmed off to pick the vegetables.
The children of the concubines from the two branches of the Cheng family looked at their companions' lively scene with envy and wanted to go, but their mothers kept them back.
You Shi patiently said to her child, "Although you are born of a concubine, you are still young master or young lady. How can you go frolicking with them?"
She was only in her early twenties and was quite pretty.
Unfortunately, the head of the Cheng family was fickle and had long since paid no attention to her.
Lin Shi, standing beside her, also nodded and echoed, "Sen, be good and listen to your mother. Let's go to another place and see if there's anything else we can help with. Don't stay in the woods for too long; it's not that fun there."
She said it wasn't safe, what if a big snake appeared and bit him?
This scared the child.
They dared not insist on going to play anymore and could only withdraw their envious gazes.
You Shi and Lin Shi, though both concubines, did not quarrel. Instead, they had a good relationship. The three children they raised seemed like siblings, having grown up together and taking good care of each other's children, being very close.
Were they not worried?
Looking at the children's innocent and naive appearances, it was truly disheartening.
They could only sigh that they were mere concubines, and even unfavored ones at that. They also sighed that they were fortunate to be concubines and had given birth to several children. Even if they were of concubine birth, they were still descendants of the head of the Cheng family. For the sake of continuing the lineage and passing on the incense, the children would not be mistreated, nor would they be casually sold off.