Chapter 7: Dream

She was happy that her daughter knew how to show filial piety to her and her old man, and that she knew how to cherish her own brothers.

She was angry because there was only such a small amount of meat, yet her daughter had shared it with those stinky boys. What use was it for them to eat it? It would have been better for her precious daughter to eat it all herself.

"Daughter, why did you share all the meat? Your grandma specifically served that meat for you!" Mother Xu finished speaking and glared at her sons, grandsons, and daughters-in-law: "What are you looking at? Is that meat something you can eat? Hurry up and give it back!"

Xu Jianguo, upon being glared at by his wife, instantly wilted. He picked up the meat in his bowl, ready to return it to his daughter.

Xu Ying, however, was unwilling and hid the bowl in her arms: "Mom, you all must eat this meat too. If you don't eat it, I won't eat it either."

Mother Xu felt her daughter's filial piety, and her eyes instantly turned red: "You silly girl, why should your father and I eat this? We are already so old; it would be a waste for us to eat it.

You, on the other hand, have just recovered; you should eat more to nourish your body."

Xu Ying’s eyes reddened, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She shook her head and said, "Mom, Dad, do you know? During the days I was in a coma, I had a dream. I dreamt that because I didn't listen to you and Dad, I married the educated youth Dong.

Then, he cheated me out of my money and tricked me into returning to the city. After he returned to the city, he abandoned me. Dad was then plotted against and killed, and not long after, Mom, you left me too.

Even Big Brother was harmed and had his leg broken. Sister-in-law stayed by Big Brother’s side through thick and thin. In the end, you all left me one by one, and with no one left to protect me, people bullied me at will."

Xu Ying had altered some details of her past life, but as she spoke of those events, she still sobbed uncontrollably.

Seeing her precious daughter crying, Mother Xu felt a heart-wrenching pain: "Daughter, stop crying. Aren't your father and I perfectly fine?

Look, your Big Brother is fine too. That was just a dream, all that messy nonsense, just push it out of your mind."

Father Xu also looked anxious: "Yingying, your mother and I are in good health, and our family has no enemies. Who would harm us? That was all just a dream, not real."

Big Brother Xu looked worried, but he was not good with words and could only say, "Little Sister, don't cry."

Sister-in-law Xu had been moved by her sister-in-law's kindness three times today. She followed up seriously: "Little Sister, don't cry. Isn't our whole family doing just fine?

That was just a dream. I’ll keep an eye on your Big Brother from now on, and I guarantee we will all live long, healthy lives. We will protect you for the rest of our lives."

Xu Ying wiped her tears and said pitifully, "Okay, you all must stay well and accompany me. Take good care of your health and don't leave me behind."

Mother and Father Xu, fearing their daughter would cry again, nodded hurriedly.

Big Brother Xu and Sister-in-law Xu also quickly promised: "Don't worry, Little Sister, Big Brother (Sister-in-law) will definitely not leave you behind."

Second Brother Xu, usually known for his slacker attitude, suddenly became much more steady: "Second Brother won't either."

Xu Xingyun, being a bit older, knew that his little aunt cared for them, and he was quite moved: "Stone won't leave Little Aunt behind either."

Xu Xingyou added in a milky voice: "Tiger won't either."

Mother Xu thought of the third son and her eyes brightened a little: "Your Third Brother won't either."

Xu Ying broke into a smile through her tears: "That’s good. You all eat well, keep your health up, and stay with me forever."

Mother Xu, afraid she would cry again, no longer minded that her sons had snatched the meat from their sister. She urged them: "Hurry up and eat the meat. It’s only because your little sister is kind-hearted that she got so scared from a dream."

Only then did the rest of the Xu family excitedly dare to eat the meat.

Breakfast ended, and Father Xu, dressed neatly, took the family to work.

Eight-year-old Xu Xingyun sensibly picked up the chicken feed to feed the family's hens.

Sister-in-law Xu washed the bowls and chopsticks with nimble movements and also hurried off to work.

Before leaving, she didn't forget to instruct her eldest son to take good care of Xu Ying.

Xu Ying sat in the courtyard, and hearing her sister-in-law ask Stone to take care of her, she was amused.

She was eighteen this year, and Stone was only eight. If anyone was to take care of anyone, it should be her, the aunt, taking care of her nephew.

But thinking of her past behavior, well, she had been too terrible.

"Tiger, come here, let Little Aunt take a good look at you."

Tiger looked at Xu Ying with soft, adorable eyes, almost melting her heart.

Stone, who was feeding the hens, felt his expression tighten when he heard his little aunt call his younger brother. He looked toward Xu Ying with some worry.

Seeing that Xu Ying was only stroking Tiger’s little head and holding him in her arms, his body instantly relaxed. The corners of his mouth curled up, and he continued feeding the hens.

After feeding the hens, he went to the backyard without delay to get his sickle and basket.

Seeing Stone go to the backyard, Xu Ying placed Tiger on a stool and secretly took three eggs out of her space, carefully placing them in the chicken coop.

Currently, every household was limited in the number of chickens they could raise; each family had three.

Just as she finished placing the eggs, Stone walked into the front yard carrying his sickle and a basket that was half his size.

In the past, Xu Ying wouldn't have felt anything at all, but now, seeing Stone, a small person carrying a basket almost as big as himself, her heart suddenly ached.

"Little Aunt, what are you doing?"

Xu Ying pointed to the chicken coop and asked: "Stone, did you collect the eggs this morning? Why are there so many eggs in the coop?"

Stone was unsettled when he heard this. He ran to the side of the coop and poked his head in, seeing the white, large eggs inside.

His brow smoothed out, and he smiled: "There really are eggs. I didn't see them just now."

Stone put down his sickle and basket and walked quickly to the coop. He reached in and touched them: "Oh my, Little Aunt, guess how many eggs there are today!"

"How many?"

"Five eggs! Doesn't this mean one chicken laid two?" Stone was full of shock.

Xu Ying followed with a look of curiosity: "Really?"

Stone immediately tilted his head, feeling smug: "Why would I lie to you? Look, if this isn't five, then what is?"

Xu Ying covered her mouth and laughed: "It really is. Our old hen is so capable. With so many eggs, Little Aunt will make egg custard for you all to drink."

When Tiger heard this, his eyes lit up. He licked the corners of his mouth, thinking of the egg custard from the morning, and almost drooled.

"Little Aunt, eat egg custard."

Xu Ying looked at Tiger and curved her lips: "Okay."

Stone didn't speak. He didn't want to break his younger brother's dream. How could egg custard be eaten just because one wanted to? What kind of family could afford that?

He was content to eat it occasionally.

"Little Aunt, you rest at home. I'm going to the mountain to cut pig grass. Tiger, listen to Little Aunt at home, don't run around, you hear?" Stone looked at Xu Ying with the doting air of a little adult, then turned his head to look at Tiger seriously.

Tiger nodded obediently.

Xu Ying stopped Stone: "Stone, I'm fine at home. I want to go to the mountain to take a look too. Take Tiger and let's go together."

When Tiger heard he could go out to play, his eyes curved into smiles, and he looked at Stone with anticipation.

Stone, however, was a bit hesitant. Grandma had instructed that Little Aunt should rest well. If she went to the mountain and caught a cold, what would they do?

"Little Aunt, there's nothing fun on the mountain. You should rest at home."

Xu Ying wouldn't agree. She put on a stern face and said: "I'm going to the mountain with you. Hurry up, or next time we have eggs, I won't share them with you."

Stone wilted immediately. He didn't want to miss out on such delicious food.

At worst, he would just keep an eye on Little Aunt while on the mountain.

After all, he was just a child and couldn't resist the temptation of food.

Thus, a one-person trip became a three-person trip.

Afraid of being seen and scolded by his grandmother, Stone took Xu Ying around to the back to head up the mountain.

Xu Ying hadn't expected to find anything good on the mountain, but when she actually reached it, she found that the mountain was even more desolate than she had imagined.