Chapter 4

“You old woman, look at the sun! Do you have any idea what time it is?”

If he didn't come back soon, the rumors about the lack of harmony in his Li family would likely start spreading through the village again...

“If you had the energy to be shouting, breakfast would have been ready long ago!”

Thinking about how he had run into a villager on the road just now—Zhao Er, who had looked at him with a meaningful expression and used biting sarcasm to greet him—he felt a surge of anger...

“Brother Li, didn't they say your family was the envy of the village?”

“A house full of several women, yet how did it become the talk of the whole village just because of making breakfast?”

“Didn't your third wife fall into the river and lose consciousness yesterday? Is she well already?”

Old Man Li wished he could just sink into a crack in the ground...

Old Man Li and his sons were drenched in sweat, beads rolling down their bodies...

Madam Zhou ran out with an embarrassed expression, only to be met with a lecture from the old man.

“Hehe, Father... it's not what you think!”

“Hmph!”

It was only because she was lazy that the daughters-in-law were like this; she had caused the Li family to lose all its face...

Glancing at the third daughter-in-law, who was still keeping her head down and focusing on chopping the snake meat, he frowned...

Although this third daughter-in-law was usually a bit dim-witted, she handled basically all the housework.

The third son valued her quite a bit. Last time, after the incident with the big cat, the third son likely held a grudge against them; when he left this morning, he had specifically instructed him

“Father, Miaomiao's mother just had a miscarriage and needs to rest well. Don't let her do heavy chores at home for now. I'm going hunting; I'll try to bring back more prey today!”

Recalling that indifferent gaze, he felt a bit of irritation in his heart and shouted,

“Alright, enough! Those who should light the fire, light it; those who should fetch water, fetch it. We three men are hungry!”

“Hurry up and cook!”

Once the head of the household spoke, the women in the house immediately began to move!

Even Li Zhenzhu didn't dare to slack off, reluctantly picking up a broom to sweep the floor!

When Miaomiao returned and saw her mother getting up, she thought for a moment and then walked over timidly: “Mother, are you feeling any better today?”

A voice like a little kitten sounded behind him. Luo Zhi'er turned around and saw a little girl approaching timidly; her eyes showed a hint of concern, mixed with a bit of fear of her.

“Hehe, it's Miaomiao. Mother is fine. You must be hungry from picking wheat ears all morning! Wait a moment, Mother will get you something delicious to nourish you!”

Miaomiao looked curiously at this mother. She couldn't say exactly what had changed, but she felt that her mother was being very kind to her today.

In the past, her mother had despised her for being a girl, saying that because of her, she was not welcomed in this house...

Every time she tried to get close, she was impatiently pushed away or driven off!

“Mhm, mhm.”

“Mother, let Miaomiao help you!”

Seeing that Miaomiao was covered in sweat and hadn't even rested since returning before trying to roll up her sleeves to help with the work, Luo Zhi'er felt both pity and heartache...

How old was she?

She wiped her hands on her clothes, tidied the hair that had been soaked through by sweat, tucked it behind the girl's ear, and wiped the rolling beads of sweat from her face.

“Miaomiao, you rest for a bit first. Later, come with Mother to the river to wash the meat!”

“Okay, Mother!”

Miaomiao's eyes sparkled.

Mother didn't used to like her following her around, but her mother was just combing her hair!

This family didn't like girls, except for Zhenzhu, so Liu Liu and Miaomiao both knew the rule for survival: be diligent!

Liu Liu was alright; her parents had a standing in the house. Miaomiao's situation was miserable.

Her mother was dim-witted and didn't really protect her. There was only Father, but Father had to go into the mountains to hunt most of the time; the rest of the time, she had to face things on her own!

Therefore, despite her young age, she was very hardworking and good at reading the room!

Before dawn, when her father got up, she got up too. Since her mother was unwell, if she didn't go to work, there would be no breakfast today!

Luo Zhi'er finished chopping the snake and took Miaomiao to the small river to wash the meat clean.

The mother and daughter played a little water fight; Miaomiao had never been this happy!

They also caught a few crabs and some small fish along the way. Luo Zhi'er rolled up her pant legs and washed her face, neck, and legs clean.

She realized her skin was actually quite fair. She looked at her reflection in the water—a round, swollen face, with layers of fat under her chin...

A fleshy nose, round eyes, and what looked like several large acne spots on her face. She didn't know how her man, Li Sanmao, had managed to lay a hand on her?

She washed Miaomiao as well, making her look much prettier and cleaner.

On the way back, she pulled a few stalks of green onion from the garden and dug up a piece of ginger before heading to the kitchen!

In the kitchen, the pot contained corn grits steamed with corn kernels, just as usual.

The family's food was either corn porridge or these corn grits.

The family had about ten acres of land, all of which were planted with wheat this year!

They hadn't been able to bring themselves to grind the freshly harvested wheat into flour yet, and the second son had also come back from the city with his eyes on this wheat.

He wanted to take the silver he had earned to help support opening a shop in town!

In a few days, the fifth son's school would resume classes. Old Man Li was thinking of selling some wheat to cover the fifth son's school fees.

Under Old Man Li's pressure, Madam Zhou reluctantly took an egg from the nesting box, prepared some chopped green onions and vegetables with a bit of salt, and boiled a pot of nearly invisible egg soup with a few ladles of water.

She shredded some radish and made a side of pickled vegetables.

It looked like it wouldn't whet anyone's appetite!

Seeing Luo Zhi'er walk in carrying the snake meat, she covered her nose, her brows furrowing deeply, and began to scold: “You lazy bones, running off to the river to slack off, only coming back when the food is cooked to scavenge a meal. Don't even think about it; there's no food for you and the girl today!”

Hearing this, Miaomiao's nose tingled with grievance. “Grandma, Miaomiao is hungry.”

“Hungry for what? Didn't your mother make food for you? Just eat that snake meat with your mother, don't dream of anything else!”

Miaomiao tugged at the corner of Luo Zhi'er's clothes: “Mother...”

“Miaomiao, it's okay. We have delicious snake soup to eat, just you wait!”

“Mother, you all eat. Miaomiao and I won't eat breakfast; we'll just eat this!”

“At least you know your place! Hmph!”

“But... don't you dare go back on your word later and come to eat our snake meat!”

“Bah! Who would eat that junk of yours!”

While they were scolding, Little Madam Zhou and Madam Chen were both present. Seeing them carry their filled bowls of food out without calling for them, Miaomiao swallowed hard...

Those two sisters-in-law certainly didn't want them to eat; that way, they and their men and children could eat more...

Luo Zhi'er washed the nearby pot clean, and Miaomiao helped her put kindling at the bottom!

First, she blanched the snake meat to remove the blood foam.

She put some pork in the bottom of the pot and used the lard to fry the cleaned crabs and small fish, sprinkling them with a bit of salt.

She gave one to Miaomiao to eat first...

After scrubbing the pot, she added oil, tossed in the shredded ginger and minced garlic, added some seasonings, then poured in the snake pieces, added water, and began to cook the soup!

After finishing all this, Luo Zhi'er felt a wave of dizziness and nearly collapsed. “Mother, what's wrong?”

“Mother is fine, help Mother sit in the kitchen for a bit!”

“Mhm...”

Luo Zhi'er knew this body looked fat. It really was weak. Additionally, her body hadn't fully recovered; she had actually been persisting and enduring the pain all along!

But if she didn't do it, no one would nurse her; she could only rely on herself!

“Mother, are you feeling any better? Where does it hurt? Let Miaomiao blow on it for you!”

Fortunately, she had a warm little one by her side!

(End of Chapter)