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

Ya Ya pulled Grandpa Fang to teach her to read the new books. There were four books in total, but she only took out one and was learning slowly without rushing.

Fang Tiesheng glanced at the book cover and saw six large black characters: Departure! Exploring China.

There were three red circles next to it with three small characters inside. He took them closer, pulled out his reading glasses from his pocket, and put them on.

The Solar Terms section.

Below that are six green characters: From the Beginning of Spring to Grain Rain.

Turning the book to the back, it reads, "A food science picture book designed for children aged 3-6, featuring 180 dishes that take children through the twenty-four solar terms, providing an immersive experience of Chinese food culture and traditional customs."

He read the two lines of text on the back of the book in a low voice, his eyes widening little by little.

The place that Nannan went to is called China?

Is it the same as their Jiang Kingdom? This is the Jiang Kingdom of the Great Jing Dynasty.

Considering the previous expiration date of 2026, does that mean there were no dynasties there? Are they just calculating by year? Or is it a dynasty that lasted for over two thousand years?

Perhaps the answer lies in the book that Nannan brought.

Fang Tiesheng carefully touched the pages of the book.

"Grandpa Fang?" Ya Ya was a little confused. Why wasn't Grandpa Fang talking and was he staring blankly at the book? Did he not recognize the words either?

"Hey, I'll read this book to Nannan now." Fang Tiesheng realized what was going on and turned the pages.

What are the solar terms? What are phenology?

Fang Tiesheng glanced at it briefly, his heart pounding. Earth? The Sun? Ancient times?

This……

this!?

He thought for a moment, then handed the book to Ya Ya, "Little girl, what do you want to learn first? Grandpa will teach you."

Ya Ya took the book, flipped to the middle, and pointed to a small green square in a steamer at the top: "Grandpa, I want to see this! What's the character after 'Spring Equinox'? This looks delicious, and there are steamed buns underneath!"

"These are Spring Equinox steamed buns."

"So those two characters are pronounced 'momo'..."

Ji Chuntao, who was resting nearby, heard about the steamed buns and bread and quietly came over to stare at the pictures in the book.

She is illiterate and can only look at pictures.

Some ingredients look familiar, but I'm not sure what they are, while others I don't recognize at all.

Looking at the beautiful and exotic food on the table, she nervously pinched her fingertips and mustered her courage to ask in a low voice, "Uncle, can I...can I listen along? I want to learn how to make these."

"Of course you can! Auntie, sit here." Ya Ya shifted her position, offering half of her little stool. "If Auntie learns, she can make even more delicious food! Grandpa Fang, please teach me carefully!"

Seeing that Ji Chuntao was learning so diligently, Granny Liu, Granny Li, and the others didn't disturb her. They exchanged glances and went to the cellar to get flour to get busy.

We decided to make dumplings yesterday, and my daughter even told someone she would bring some, so we can't go back on our word.

Grandma Liu was quick and efficient. She first mixed a small bowl of shepherd's purse and pork filling, then chopped wild onions and added eggs to make a vegetarian three-delicacy filling.

There were also some tender wild vegetables, which were finely chopped and used to make a vegetarian filling.

A few days ago, Ya Ya bought some small intestines and there were still a few left. She took one, washed it, diced it, and mixed it with some wild vegetables that weren't very good when she picked them to make a mixed filling. She didn't know if it would taste good, but she added a little bit of everything.

The wrapped dumplings were neatly arranged in the winnowing basket, each one plump and round.

Everyone was busy today and didn't go out of their way to find wild vegetables, so Ya Ya only took a bag of dumplings with her to visit her aunt at night.

"Oh my, you brought so many dumplings! Thank you, Ya Ya. Auntie loves dumplings."

Looking at the plump dumplings filled with filling inside, Cao Xiulian felt truly comforted. Since the little girl hadn't brought any wild vegetables today, she decided not to send any messages.

Ya Ya tilted her head and watched her aunt put away the dumplings. Her aunt had said the same thing about the canned food she brought yesterday. It seemed like her aunt didn't dislike any of them.

I'll bring my aunt lots of food from now on.

Since there wasn't anything she particularly wanted to buy, Ya Ya wasn't in a hurry to leave. Her aunt's business had been booming these past two days, and she was so busy that she had to help Ya Ya sell vegetables.

Even if I don't sell vegetables myself today, I'll still help my aunt.

Thinking of this, Ya Ya stood next to her aunt and skillfully helped Cao Xiulian hand over bags and small bowls for packing.

"Ya Ya doesn't need to bring anything to the village today, and she's not going shopping?" Cao Xiulian asked softly, watching her busy little figure.

"Auntie is too tired, Ya Ya wants to help Auntie."

Cao Xiulian blinked, wanting to rub the little one's head but worried that her oily hands would get the little one's hair dirty.

After finishing with this wave of customers, Ya Ya's stomach suddenly rumbled. Her face turned red, and she wiggled her body shyly, peering around.

"What's wrong, Ya Ya? Are you going back or do you have something else to do? You don't need to stay here. Go ahead and do what you need to do."

Ya Ya's face turned even redder. After stammering for a while, she finally managed to whisper, "Auntie... I need to go to the toilet."

In the village, people go to the outhouse behind their houses, which is the back corner of their yard. They dig a pit, surround it with a fence and branches, and wipe it with leaves when they're done. It's far from the house and very dirty.

But the streets were clean and tidy, the road surface was smooth, and there were gray stone houses on both sides. She had never seen a latrine in all the times she had been there.

"Hey, I'll take you there."

Cao Xiulian slapped her forehead, took off her gloves, asked the lady at the nearby stall to help watch over them, and led Ya Ya inside.

There are no public restrooms at the Hongye Morning Market; most people borrow the restrooms of the shops. She led Ya Ya to the entrance of a relatively new snack shop and said, "Hey girl, can I borrow your restroom for a bit?"

"Okay, nobody's around right now."

Cao Xiulian led Ya Ya through several tables to the back, turned a corner, and pushed open a small door. "Go on, Auntie will be waiting for you outside."

Ya Ya looked around and realized that this was the same little room where the shop owner had taught her to wash her hands. There was a white pit and a small hole on the ground. This must be it.

But where are the bamboo strips and leaves? There are no grass stalks either. Instead, I saw a package of soft, white paper on the table next to me. It felt similar to the big package she bought yesterday, but even more delicate and soft.

Are people here so studious? They even practice calligraphy in the outhouse?

Ya Ya felt a sense of unease.

Her lower abdomen was hurting more and more. She glanced at a silver tube next to her. She remembered that water could come out of this tube. Could it be used to wash after relieving herself?

Seeing that she hadn't come out for a while, Cao Xiulian gently knocked on the door: "Ya Ya, are you alright?"

Ya Ya's voice was soft and small, tinged with embarrassment: "Auntie... I... I couldn't find anything to wipe my bottom..."

"Are you out of tissues?" Cao Xiulian took a pack of tissues out of her pocket. "May I come in?"

"Yes, Auntie."

Cao Xiulian pushed open the door and went in. The little guy hadn't gone to the toilet yet. He was standing next to the toilet bowl, and there was a pack of green toilet paper on the sink.

Isn't there paper here?

"Silly girl, didn't you see this? The toilet paper is right here."

Ya Ya was taken aback. "This... isn't this the paper for practicing calligraphy?"

Cao Xiulian was also taken aback.

"This is for wiping. After use, just throw it in the toilet, then press this button to flush, and it will be clean."

She tore off a few bills and stuffed them into Ya Ya's hand. "Go to the toilet first. Auntie's going out now. Call Auntie if you need anything."

Ya Ya held the few sheets of soft, white paper with a heavy heart. How could such good paper be used to wipe her bottom and then thrown away carelessly after use? It was such a waste.

But stomach upset can't wait, so Ya Ya still used it as her aunt said.

After using it once, Ya Ya was completely stunned. It was so soft, light and clean!

This stuff is wasteful, but it's really good. She seems... she never wants to use bamboo strips and leaves again...