From the memories of the original body, it was said that everyone in the village claimed Zheng Wei had lost his memory and couldn't recall anything from the past. However, after interacting with Zheng Wei during this time, she didn't feel at all like he was someone who had suffered amnesia.
Zheng Wei didn't immediately answer Shen Xiaoyan's question. He simply stared at her blankly. It was only after Shen Xiaoyan became uncomfortable under his gaze that he finally spoke, "I've forgotten."
Shen Xiaoyan naturally didn't believe him but didn't press the issue.
Although they were husband and wife in name, they hadn't reached a point of complete candor. She had her own secrets too.
"I was just thinking, summer is coming. Should we... buy some new clothes?" After saying this, Shen Xiaoyan herself felt a bit embarrassed. In this era, it was indeed improper for a woman to not know how to sew.
Zheng Wei, however, didn't think much of it. He nodded and said, "Then let's go to town tomorrow."
After making arrangements, they blew out the lamp and went to sleep.
For the past half-month, Luoluo no longer slept with Shen Xiaoyan. It inexplicably followed Baibai around all day. Shen Xiaoyan teased it about trying to catch a younger bird, but Luoluo paid no mind and continued to follow Baibai everywhere.
Even without Luoluo, Shen Xiaoyan no longer felt awkward sleeping with Zheng Wei. They each slept in their own space, and there was no conflict.
The next morning, Shen Xiaoyan made a simple breakfast. After the three of them finished eating, they locked the door and pushed the handcart to town together.
Since they weren't going to sell wild goods and didn't need to rush, the three of them didn't hurry their pace. They simply walked slowly together.
By the time they reached town, it was around 9 o'clock.
Entering a ready-to-wear clothing shop in town, Shen Xiaoyan took a careful look around.
On the shop's counter were various fabric scraps, with numerous patterns.
On one wall, many finished garments were hung, offering a good selection of styles.
A young apprentice in the clothing shop saw Shen Xiaoyan and the other two. He didn't show any signs of looking down on them. He walked over with a smile, "What would the three of you like?"
Shen Xiaoyan pondered for a moment before saying, "Can you make custom clothes?"
She couldn't sew clothes herself, so she could only buy ready-made ones. However, looking at the clothes hanging in the shop, they didn't seem to be the right fit for their figures.
Upon hearing Shen Xiaoyan's question, the young apprentice smiled even more brightly, "Madam, you jest. This is a ready-to-wear shop, so of course we make custom clothes. What fabric and style do you have in mind, Madam?"
"Cotton plain cloth. The three of us will be wearing them, two sets each will be enough," Shen Xiaoyan said.
The young apprentice, upon hearing this, asked Shen Xiaoyan to choose fabric colors. He then called the shop's tailor to take their measurements.
After a round of selection, Shen Xiaoyan chose a green set and a pink set for herself. For Shen Xiaoming, she chose blue and green. For Zheng Wei, she chose black and gray.
The three of them all chose summer cotton plain cloth, which was breathable, comfortable, and didn't hinder work.
The shop owner calculated for a while with his abacus and smiled at Shen Xiaoyan, saying, "The total is two taels of silver. Madam can pay half as a deposit, and the remaining amount can be paid when you collect the clothes in two days."
Shen Xiaoyan mentally calculated. The fabric plus labor, a total of two taels of silver, was not expensive.
At that moment, Shen Xiaoyan readily handed over one tael of silver and agreed to pick up the clothes at the same time in two days.
The three of them left the ready-to-wear shop. After walking only a few steps, they heard someone behind them calling Zheng Wei's name.
"Zheng Wei. Big Brother Zheng." The voice grew closer and closer until it reached them. Shen Xiaoyan looked and saw a boy, about seventeen years old, looking at Zheng Wei with a face full of pleasant surprise.
"Big Brother Zheng, it's been such a long time. Since you're in town, why didn't you come find me?" The boy's tone held a hint of playful reproach.
"No time," Zheng Wei said blandly.
"Why no time? Aren't you free now?" the boy asked, displeased.
"Oh."
"Oh? What's 'oh'?" The boy was a little annoyed. He scrutinized Zheng Wei, but his gaze inadvertently fell on Shen Xiaoyan.
After appraising Shen Xiaoyan from head to toe, the boy let out a few laughs. "This must be sister-in-law, right? Hello, sister-in-law, I'm Lu Taobao. I'm Big Brother Zheng's..."
Before the boy could finish, Shen Xiaoyan burst into laughter. It started as a silent chuckle, then grew louder and louder, making her clutch her stomach and unable to stand steady.
Passersby on the street cast curious glances, wondering what could have made a young girl laugh so heartily in the middle of the street.
"What... what is sister-in-law laughing at?" Lu Taobao asked Zheng Wei, confused.
Zheng Wei was also perplexed. What was this woman laughing about?
As Shen Xiaoyan laughed, tears streamed down her face. Yes, in this world, no one would understand what she was laughing at. To these people, the name was simply not funny.
Suppressing the deep sadness within her, Shen Xiaoyan gradually stopped laughing. She looked at the three people beside her who were watching her with concerned expressions and quickly waved her hand, "I'm fine."
"Sister-in-law, are you really okay?" Lu Taobao was still a little worried.
Shen Xiaoyan looked at Lu Taobao, then thought of his name, and her lips involuntarily curved upwards again.
This time, however, she managed to restrain herself. She cleared her throat and said, "I'm fine. I just remembered a joke."
"What joke, sister? Can you tell me?" Little friend Shen Xiaoming was very curious. What kind of joke could make his sister laugh like that? Shen Xiaoyan felt a pang of embarrassment. She had to explain herself further. With a smile on her face, her mind raced. She had many jokes, but for the three people in front of her to understand them was truly difficult.
She had an idea. Shen Xiaoyan's eyes lit up, and she said, "A banana was walking down the road. As it walked, it felt very hot, so it took off its clothes, and then it fell down."
...
Zheng Wei, Shen Xiaoming, and Lu Taobao stared blankly at Shen Xiaoyan. After a long while, they still couldn't understand what was funny about that statement.
It was Shen Xiaoming who finally spoke, "Sister, what is a banana?"
Shen Xiaoyan: ...
Could it be that there were no such fruits as bananas in this era?
"A banana is a type of fruit, little brother," Lu Taobao replied with a smile. "It's just... bananas can't walk..."
Upon hearing Lu Taobao's words, Shen Xiaoyan felt incredibly awkward. It was truly like talking to a brick wall; there was no sense of humor at all.
"Alright, never mind if bananas can walk or not. Big Brother Zheng, since you're in town, shall I show you around?" Lu Taobao, sensing Shen Xiaoyan's awkwardness, quickly changed the subject.
"This... we shouldn't, should we?" Shen Xiaoyan hesitated, looking at Zheng Wei.
Zheng Wei pondered for a moment and then said to Shen Xiaoyan, "This is Lu Taobao. I helped him once when I was hunting in the mountains."
Shen Xiaoyan nodded. Was he explaining this to her? For some reason, a hint of sweetness bloomed in her heart.
"Sister-in-law, Big Brother is being too modest. If it weren't for Big Brother, I would have lost my life. Big Brother Zheng is like my second father, I..." Lu Taobao immediately chimed in upon hearing Zheng Wei's words.
However, Zheng Wei clearly didn't like his rambling. Seeing that he wasn't stopping, he took Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming's hands and started to walk forward.
Lu Taobao finally stopped talking. He caught up with the three of them in a few strides and said as they walked, "Big Brother, Sister-in-law, where do you want to go? Or what do you want to buy? In Tongling Town, there's nowhere I don't know."
As he said this, Lu Taobao patted his chest vigorously, assuring the three of them.
Shen Xiaoyan didn't have any particular place she wanted to visit. Not because she didn't want to, but because she had no money.
Shopping and browsing, for women, always held an irresistible allure.