Though her thoughts aligned perfectly with her son’s, even someone with no sense of perception like Liu Shi knew such words should never be spoken aloud.
Unfortunately, her reaction wasn’t fast enough to match her son’s speech.
Before she could cover his mouth, Xu Hu had already shouted out the words.
It’s over.
That was Liu Shi’s first thought – it’s over.
Just as expected, the moment Xu Hu’s voice faded, the door to the fourth son’s room swung open.
Old Mrs. Xu emerged with a face cold as frost.
Since Xu Hu was only four or five years old and didn’t know better, Old Mrs. Xu wouldn’t take her anger out on her own grandson.
But toward Liu Shi, Old Mrs. Xu showed no such leniency.
Walking straight up to Liu Shi, her tone was so cold it could freeze water droplets.
“Liu Shi, is this how you usually teach the child? Stealing his own sister’s nourishment and gossiping about family with outsiders? If you can’t teach him properly, from now on Hu Zi will stay with us, and you won’t need to care for him anymore!”
At these words, Liu Shi’s face immediately turned pale.
The reason she had always been able to hold superiority over Zhao Shi in the Xu family was because she had borne Xu Hu.
If her mother-in-law took Xu Hu away from her and he grew distant, who could she rely on in the future?
Moreover, if word got out that her son had been taken by her mother-in-law for upbringing, she would never be able to hold her head up among the village wives again.
Thinking of the gossip that would follow her son being taken away, Liu Shi’s face grew even paler, and her attitude immediately became submissive.
“Mother, Hu Zi was just talking nonsense – I didn’t teach him that! I’ll discipline him properly and make sure he doesn’t speak recklessly again!”
Seeing that his mother wasn’t taking his side, Xu Hu grew upset.
Liu Gou Dan and the others all said his fourth aunt had given birth to a jinx – he wasn’t lying! Why was Grandma scolding his mother?
Sensing that Xu Hu was about to speak again, Liu Shi acted quickly this time.
Covering her son’s mouth with her hand, she forced a smile.
“Mother, don’t worry, I’ll definitely teach Hu Zi properly!”
Old Mrs. Xu stared fixedly at Liu Shi for a moment, then noticed the two goats that Liu Shi and her son had cornered earlier.
“That goat milk is to save Tianbao’s life! Anyone who dares to covet those two goats had better watch their hide! Hmph!”
Holding her son, Liu Shi nodded repeatedly, promising she would never think about the goat’s milk again.
When Old Mrs. Xu finally waved her away, Liu Shi quickly carried Xu Hu back to their room. Soon after, weeping sounds emerged from the eldest son’s quarters.
“Wah… my poor son! In all your years, besides a few mouthfuls of your own mother’s milk, you’ve never tasted milk. Now that there’s milk in the house, you’re not even allowed to taste it. My son! You’re so pitiful. Wah…”
While weeping softly, Liu Shi used the motion of wiping her tears to sneak glances at Xu Dazhu sitting on the kang.
She didn’t dare cry too loudly, afraid Old Mrs. Xu might still be in the courtyard and hear her.
Initially, she had only intended to make a scene before Xu Dazhu, but after crying for so long with Xu Dazhu merely frowning and not speaking a single word in her and their son’s defense, Liu Shi genuinely felt wronged.
Actually, Xu Dazhu had heard everything clearly from inside the room.
The fault lay entirely with Liu Shi and their son, so no matter how Liu Shi tried to complain to him with veiled words, Xu Dazhu simply pretended not to understand.
Seeing that Liu Shi was carrying on endlessly, Xu Dazhu could only sigh softly and soothe her, urging her to stop making a scene.
No matter how you looked at it, an aunt and her son snatching food from a newborn niece’s mouth was hardly justified.
After being comforted by Xu Dazhu for a while and venting her emotions, Liu Shi finally calmed down.
When they turned to look for Xu Hu, they realized he had long since disappeared.
The village children were always running around, and since he couldn’t possibly get lost, the two of them didn’t bother searching. They knew he would surely return by dinnertime.
Little did they expect that a child of only four or five could hold such a grudge.
Although Liu Shi’s words hadn’t carried into the yard, her crying had.
Old Mrs. Xu couldn’t be bothered with her. After all, her eldest son, though usually a bit simple and honest, was still very obedient.
Glancing at Zhao Shi, who was still standing nearby, Old Mrs. Xu gestured toward the kitchen.
“Second daughter-in-law, go milk a bit more from the goat and keep it warm in the pot. Tianbao will probably need another feeding when she wakes up.”
That troublemaker Liu Shi—if it weren’t for her antics, she wouldn’t have had to leave her precious little darling for so long.
Just as she was about to head back to the fourth son’s room, Zhao Shi tugged at her sleeve before she could take a step.
Zhao Shi hadn’t wanted to stop her mother-in-law again, but after seeing what happened to her sister-in-law when she tried to milk the goat earlier, she didn’t dare go near the animal.
Following Zhao Shi’s gaze, Old Mrs. Xu spotted the large bowl lying broken in two in the yard and cursed Liu Shi again in her heart: “Wasteful creature!”
Understanding Zhao Shi’s hesitation, Old Mrs. Xu patted the back of her hand. “Don’t be afraid. Just tell her you’re milking for Tianbao before you start. Nothing will happen.”
With that, Old Mrs. Xu ignored Zhao Shi this time and hurried back to the fourth son’s room.
She had been away from her little granddaughter for so long—who knew if the precious one had woken up yet?
Watching Old Mrs. Xu’s retreating figure, Zhao Shi glanced from her to the goat.
Talk to him?
Him?
Who?
The goat?!
Clearly, her mother-in-law meant this very goat.
Holding the bowl, Zhao Shi stood face to face with the nanny goat, the two of them staring at each other.
When the Black Mountain Goat lifted a hoof, Zhao Shi quickly took a step back.
The image of Liu Shi and Xu Hu covered in hoofprints was still vivid in her mind.
She didn’t have Liu Shi’s sturdy build.
Moreover, this Black Mountain Goat was truly the most robust one she had ever seen—almost as big as a donkey.
But to Zhao Shi’s surprise, every time she retreated a step, the goat advanced one. Step by step, the goat ended up cornering her against the wall.
With nowhere left to retreat, Zhao Shi had no choice but to communicate with the nanny goat.
Clutching the bowl, she trembled as she opened her mouth, her voice shaking.
“Sister Goat, I—I need to milk you a little. Little Tianbao needs to drink.”
In her desperation, Zhao Shi was grasping at straws, hoping to give herself some comfort and courage.
Unexpectedly, the goat seemed to understand, nodding her large head up and down.
After nodding, she shifted her stance, turning sideways in front of Zhao Shi. Once positioned, she let out a “baa” toward Zhao Shi.
Zhao Shi instantly understood the meaning of that “baa.”
I’m ready—come on over!
It even carried a hint of eagerness.
When Jin Feng hazily woke again, she saw an elderly woman’s face crinkled into a chrysanthemum-like smile.
Feeling disoriented, it took her a moment to realize she seemed to have been reborn.
Yes, she had been reborn as a little girl in an ordinary farming family.
How had she died exactly?
Jin Feng felt her memories weren’t quite clear, as if with each awakening, her memories of her previous life grew fainter.
Now, she had a premonition that perhaps by her next awakening, she would have completely forgotten everything about her past life.
Seeing her precious granddaughter staring at her with wide, dark eyes unblinkingly, Old Mrs. Xu smiled even more joyfully.
“Oh my, our little Tianbao is awake again! Are you hungry, my sweetheart? Grandma will feed you milk right away!”
The craving for food snapped Jin Feng back to attention, making her keenly feel the pangs of hunger again. The little dumpling pouted her lips.
Just then, Zhao Shi entered the room carrying a bowl of warmed goat’s milk.
Taking the milk bowl from Zhao Shi, Old Mrs. Xu cradled her little granddaughter and had Li Shi feed the tiny one spoonful by spoonful.
Then, the same scene from before repeated itself.
The little dumpling hugged the milk bowl with all four limbs, gave a strong kick with her short little legs, and gulped down the entire bowl of goat’s milk in no time.
With her belly full, drowsiness washed over her again, and the little one slowly closed her eyes.
At that moment, Liu Shi’s voice came from outside—it was time for lunch.
Originally, Old Mrs. Xu had intended to have Zhao Shi bring her a bowl of food, as she truly couldn’t bear to part from her adorable little granddaughter.
But Li Shi, who had hardly held the child since her birth, didn’t want to miss this rare chance to hold her own baby and fervently persuaded her mother-in-law to join the family for the meal.
Under the earnest persuasion of both daughters-in-law, Old Mrs. Xu finally placed little Tianbao into Li Shi’s arms and, looking back every few steps, left with Zhao Shi for the meal.
Finally able to hold her daughter, Li Shi swayed the little bundle while nuzzling the little dumpling’s cheek with the tip of her nose.
“Tianbao, my little Tianbao, you’re truly the most beautiful girl in the world.”
She couldn’t get enough of the pink, chubby little face. Li Shi hummed a soft melody, her eyes filled with maternal affection.
However, because her health was inherently weak and childbirth had drained much of her strength, her arms grew sore and aching after holding the baby for just a short while.
When she could no longer endure it, Li Shi placed the little dumpling beside her pillow and lay down next to her daughter.
Rhythmically patting the little bundle, breathing in the sweet milky scent from the little dumpling, Li Shi actually ended up lulling herself to sleep.
Soundly asleep for once, Li Shi didn’t hear the sound of someone pushing the door open and entering.
Old Mrs. Xu and the others chatting over lunch in the outer room also didn’t notice that Xu Hu, who usually lingered at the table the longest, had left unusually early today.