Chapter 7: Yes, That's Exactly Right!

Lingxi spent the afternoon gnawing on peach crisps, drinking the syrup from a canned fruit jar whenever she got thirsty. She racked her brain, but couldn't come up with any good solutions.

Behind the village was a mountain...

"Live off the mountain if you live by the mountain, live off the water if you live by the water." Surely, she could scrounge up something from the mountains!

Lingxi frowned slightly, feeling a bit uncertain.

In the evening, just before work ended, the old lady returned home carrying a basket full of wild vegetables, leading little Minghui by the hand.

She sent Minghui off to find Lingxi to play, and once she figured enough time had passed, she sat on the threshold in front of the main room and began to wipe away tears.

The little old lady wailed with every breath—

"My poor Lingxi-er, why is your life so bitter!"

"Why doesn't the Heavens strike down those heartless wretches with lightning!"

When Second Uncle Pei and his three sons returned, they saw this scene.

"What, what, what happened?!"

Second Uncle Pei’s name was Pei Youqian, and he and his wife had three sons.

The eldest son, Pei Jin, was already married and had little Minghui, who was just four years old.

The second son, Pei Yu, worked for the transport team in the county seat and only came home a few days a month; he wasn't home at the moment.

The youngest son, Pei Xuan, was about the same age as Pei Fuzhu. Because he was close in age to Lingxi, he liked to take her along whenever he went up the mountain to catch birds or down to the river to catch fish.

Due to the division of labor between men and women, the three of them—Second Uncle and his sons—were the first to return today.

As soon as the three of them entered the courtyard and heard the old lady sitting on the threshold wiping her tears, claiming that Lingxi had been bullied by some black-hearted person until she fainted, they hurriedly asked questions, crowding into the side room where Lingxi lived, all looking at her with worry and anxiety.

Second Uncle Pei was nearly forty, a handsome middle-aged man with a scholarly appearance.

He and his wife had three sons in a row, so they couldn't spoil Lingxi, who had been raised right under their noses, enough; even the boys in the family couldn't compare to her.

Second Uncle Pei looked her up and down.

"Second Uncle heard you fainted in the vegetable patch. Let me take a good look at you. You’re weak, you should be resting properly, why did you go to the vegetable patch? You have three older brothers and a little nephew, Minghui. Whatever you want to eat, just call one of them and send them; they’re sturdy and aren't afraid of the sun."

Eldest Brother Pei inherited his father’s looks; he was steady and gentle, looking every bit the reliable eldest brother.

Seeing that Lingxi was already fine, he nodded gently.

"That’s right, girls are afraid of the sun. It’s hot out now, so let’s stay out of it. If you really need to get something or do something, Minghui is home. Be a good girl and listen to us."

Four-year-old Minghui: "..."

He poked his little head out from the corner and patted his small chest with a *thwack*: "Right, right, right, Minghui will help Little Aunt."

Third Brother Pei Xuan was a year older than Lingxi, a youth with a delicate, baby-faced appearance.

When Pei Xuan entered, he also looked her over first to ensure his sister was truly okay. Now, taking advantage of the others talking, he had already learned what happened from his little nephew, Minghui.

He frowned slightly but didn't say anything on the spot.

He simply placed the small bundle of sweet stalks he had brought back on the table nearby and coaxed her.

"Lingxi-er, you rest well. You and Minghui can eat these sweet stalks for now. In two days, when the wheat is harvested, Third Brother will go into the mountains. Do you remember those grapes you didn't get enough of last year? Third Brother went late that time, and there weren't many good bunches left. This time, Third Brother will go earlier and pick plenty for our Lingxi. Eat slowly, eat however you like."

As for Pei Fuzhu...

Hmph!

If he didn't teach her a lesson, he’d change his last name!

He had plenty of thoughts, but he didn't intend to let Lingxi know any of them. His sister was so timid and sensible; she just needed to eat, drink, and have fun.

Seeing this, Second Uncle and Eldest Brother only chimed in, promising that they would definitely let Lingxi have her fill. But in a place Lingxi didn't notice, they exchanged a look of helpless understanding.

Though helpless, they were also indulgent.

Pei Fuzhu often bullied their Lingxi-er; letting Pei Xuan take this opportunity to deflate her arrogance was fine by them.

Lingxi wasn't used to seeing so many people at once. Being cautious, she didn't notice the silent communication between the father and his sons.

She nodded obediently the whole time.

Okay, okay, okay, she would be good.

Suddenly hearing Third Brother mention grapes, she sat up straight, her eyes sparkling.

Delicious food!

Things she could hoard in her storage pendant!

When she was bored in the afternoon, she had finally remembered to carefully check the items inside the storage pendant, only to discover there wasn't a single scrap of food in there.

The small wooden box was made of rosewood.

One was filled with gold, jade, and jewelry—various trinkets for a young girl made of gold and silver wire.

One was filled with gold bars and silver dollars, with property deeds and foreign bank deposit slips tucked into the lining.

Two large wooden chests were filled with seasonal clothing, shoes, hats, and scarves.

The last small leather suitcase, however, was filled with weapons.

A pair of custom daggers, a crossbow, a bow, a Tang sword, a set of throwing knives, and some exquisite hidden mechanisms.

Now, hearing Pei Xuan talk about the grapes in the mountains, she instantly perked up.

Grapes were sweet, sour, and full of juice. Time stood still inside the storage pendant; if she hoarded some grapes, wouldn't it be wonderful to eat them during the great drought?

Lingxi secretly made a note to see if she could tag along when Pei Xuan went into the mountains.

Once she was happy, she started to praise them.

"Thank you, Third Brother! Third Brother is the best! I like Third Brother the most!"

As soon as she finished, she met the expectant gazes of Second Uncle, Eldest Brother, and four-year-old Minghui. She paused for a second, then continued as if her little mouth had been smeared with honey.

"Second Uncle, Eldest Brother, and Minghui are also the best to me! I like you all the most."

Her strategy was to offend no one.

Second Uncle, Pei Jin, and Pei Xuan weren't surprised by this answer; in fact, they were quite satisfied.

The old lady, who had been guarding the door for a while longer but still hadn't seen her second daughter-in-law and eldest granddaughter-in-law return, walked into the room as well.

She was quite satisfied with the harmonious scene before her and gave a concluding speech.

"Lingxi-er!

Think back to when your grandfather died early, leaving me, a widow who couldn't carry or lift anything, to raise three sons and one daughter, with another one still in my belly. We were such poor, lonely orphans and widows!

But that dilapidated house leaked when it rained, and we even ran into mountain bandits. It was your father, only eleven at the time, who took a bullet for me, saving the lives of your grandmother and your little uncle. Only then was I able to raise your uncles and aunts, get them married, and have children.

Otherwise, our whole family would have been nothing but cannon fodder.

So, Lingxi-er!

Your uncles owe your father. Debts of the father are paid by the sons, which means your uncles' sons and daughters owe your father. You are the only seedling your father left behind, which means your uncles and their siblings owe you.

You have no father or mother, so they should be good to you out of pity. Not to mention they owe you—them being good to you is only right and proper!"

The father and his three sons seemed to be moved as well; they all nodded in unison with red-rimmed eyes, looking at Lingxi with heartache.

"That's right, that's exactly the logic!"

(End of chapter)