Back at the ancestral hall, Lin Xiaohe suddenly remembered that before they left, she’d cooked some crushed corn porridge.
It should be just about done by now.
“Here, I’ll scoop this porridge out. You take it to Mom and Dad so they can have something in their stomachs. I’ll cook some more, and we’ll eat together later.”
They’d been gone for quite a while, and the fire had long since gone out.
The porridge was still warm—not too hot to eat, just right. She poured it out into two full bowls.
But it looked thin and watery.
Thinking of the 20 catties of rice she’d brought home today, Lin Xiaohe decided to be generous. She skimmed off some of the watery liquid on top, leaving only the thicker, richer part underneath.
She had her little sister go feed Mom and Dad while she continued cooking.
Gritting her teeth, she grabbed five handfuls of rice—one for each person. That way, the porridge would be thicker and more filling.
She started a fire and put the rice on to cook.
Carefully, she took out the chicken leg, quickly rinsed off the dust from the surface, and tore it into shreds piece by piece.
Once the porridge was done, she’d toss the chicken in to heat it up. She also washed a handful of wild vegetables to add in later.
It had been so long since they’d eaten this well. The last time they’d had anything with real oil and meat was during New Year’s.
They’d slaughtered a chicken back then!
She’d only gotten a piece of the neck, but she still remembered that meat to this day.
After that, they’d split from the main family and started living on their own. Not long after, their house collapsed, and things just kept getting harder.
…
“She’s gone too far! Wasn’t I doing this for his own good? That barren bastard—what’s he got to complain about when I’m willing to let my own nephew be adopted into his line?
Honestly, none of them are good for anything—can’t even produce a son. Otherwise, we could just adopt from within the family.
Eldest daughter-in-law, you’re useless too. You’ve been married into this family for ages and only given birth to one son—and two worthless girls.
Fourth daughter-in-law, you’re even worse! A barren hen! Years have passed and still not a peep. If you make my fourth son end his line, I’ll make your life hell!”
She hadn’t dared go out these past couple days. Every time she stepped outside, people pointed at her and called her a wicked old woman.
Qian Sancao was fuming, her nostrils flaring wide as she cursed nonstop. No one in the house escaped—she’d yelled at every single one of them.
Old Man Lin had been married three times in his life. The first wife had given him a son and a daughter, but she died early.
Then he married Lin Cai’s mother. By the time Lin Cai could remember things, his mother was already gone from the household.
When he was old enough to understand, the villagers said his mother had run off with another man.
There was a whole brood of children in the house, and Old Man Lin treated Lin Cai the worst.
Qian Sancao was the third wife. She’d originally been the child bride of the Li family at the east end of the village.
The Li family’s son had been sickly since birth—they’d raised a child bride to bring him good luck, but it didn’t help. He still died in his early twenties. By then, Qian Sancao was already pregnant with his posthumous child.
She’d married into the Lin family while carrying that child. Besides the one in her belly, she later gave birth to a pair of twins.
“Alright, calm down these next couple days. Don’t go out and make a fool of yourself.”
Old Man Lin, who usually seemed meek outside, shot her a dark, gloomy glare.
Old Lady Qian didn’t dare keep cursing, but her eyes glared venomously outward.
Hmph, she hoped that whole family would die out there! Every single one of them was disobedient and didn’t respect her.
The eldest son’s family kept to themselves like invisible people, all busy with their own tasks.
Lin Daya and Lin Erya were sorting through grass roots. Erya nudged her sister with her elbow. “Do you think Xiaohe and her family are going to make it?”
“Third Uncle and Third Aunt are both hurt, and they barely have any food. Xiaohe is so young…”
Daya sighed. “Tomorrow, when we go out to dig for roots, we can secretly leave some for them. But don’t be too obvious—if Grandma finds out, you’ll get a beating for sure.”
“I know…”
Maybe because they were all at the bottom of the family hierarchy, Xiaohe, Daya, and Erya always worked together.
The three of them got along pretty well.
“I knew you two dead girls were slacking off again! Can’t do a thing without being lazy!”
Old Man Lin’s fourth daughter-in-law shoved open the window and started cursing. She’d just been called a barren hen by her mother-in-law and was fuming with nowhere to vent—and now these two dead girls dared to slack off!
Both of them lowered their heads and quietly kept working, not daring to say a word.
In this household, it was never about who was right or wrong. It was all about who Grandpa and Grandma favored.
Grandpa and Grandma both favored Fourth Uncle, so everything he did was right. Fourth Uncle always stood up for Fourth Aunt, so no matter what she did, Grandma only ever scolded her lightly.
Even Fifth Uncle and Little Aunt got beaten sometimes—only Fourth Uncle had never been hit.
…
A faint meaty aroma mixed with the rich scent of rice drifted through the air.
Lin Xiaohe took a deep breath. She grabbed the wild vegetables she’d washed earlier, cut them into small pieces, and tossed them in.
The porridge was a pale white, dotted with green bits and shreds of chicken—it looked so appetizing just at a glance.
Lin Cai sniffed the air and looked at his second daughter. “Meat?”
Xiaogu couldn’t hold back her grin any longer. She chattered excitedly, gesturing as she spoke. “Hehe, yeah! Today, Sis and I went to buy fever medicine.
At the pharmacy door, a big sister dropped her chicken leg. She didn’t want it anymore, so I picked it up!
And the wild vegetables we picked over there today—we traded them for money! The money’s different from what we use here, but we can still buy rice with it!
Sis and I bought 20 catties of rice today! We won’t have to worry about food for a long time!”
The couple forced a smile as they listened to their daughter’s animated story, enduring their pain.
“Mom, Dad, eat a little more, then take your medicine. The auntie at the pharmacy told me it’s better to eat something first before taking medicine—it’ll be gentler on your stomach.”
Lin Xiaohe took away the two empty bowls and refilled them with the new porridge. The family didn’t have enough bowls, so they’d have to eat in shifts.
“We’ve already eaten. You three kids go ahead,” Lin Cai shook his head. That bowl of corn porridge earlier had been enough.
“Yeah, yeah, your dad and I already ate. You guys eat.”
Liu Yuexiu nodded with effort. “That was a whole bowl of porridge—back when we were working in the fields, we’d only get one extra corn bun. Now we’re just lying in bed not doing anything—one bowl is plenty. You kids are still growing, so you need to eat more.”
“No, listen to me.” Lin Xiaohe wouldn’t listen. “We’re not short on food anymore. We all need to eat—eat until we’re full and get our strength back.
Tomorrow, Xiaogu and I will keep picking wild vegetables and trade them for money to stock up on more food.
Tonight, all five of us are going to eat our fill. If there’s not enough, I’ll cook more.”
Lin Xiaohe wouldn’t hear their refusals. “Mom, Dad, hurry up and eat. Xiaogu and I haven’t eaten yet, and we only have these two bowls.
Once you’re done, then we can eat.”
“Alright, alright, we won’t waste any more time then.”
As the couple ate, their eyes grew red. How had they been blessed with such wonderful children?
Xiaogu was practically drooling with anticipation.
Lin Xiaohe thoughtfully rubbed her chin. They needed two more bowls—otherwise, eating like this every time would be too inconvenient.
After their parents finished, Lin Xiaohe filled two half-bowls for herself and her sister. The clay pot was a bit small, so there wasn’t enough for a full bowl each.
There was a little left at the bottom for Little Sister.
Xiaoman was sleeping like a little piglet right now. They’d give her some when she woke up.
Xiaoman was the one who’d had it hardest among the three sisters.
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