“Don’t think it’s just me—your second sister-in-law—who loves Liu Ya and Qi Ya. Everyone wants to take your little girls home. They’re so cute, soft, and white. Boys can’t compare!” teased Xiao Cuihua, Xiao Chen’s eldest sister-in-law, laughing.
“That’s fine! As long as the sisters-in-law don’t mind, they can come play. Liu Ya and Qi Ya are mischievous, but they adore their aunts,” Xiao Chen replied.
Old Mrs. Chen gently patted her shoulder, chuckling. “You’re just talking nonsense. Mischievous or not, they’re still daughters of the Liu family. Even if you are willing, Sanzhuang is not.”
She glanced at her eldest daughter-in-law and added teasingly, “You already have two sons and a daughter, and you’re still thinking about someone else’s girl.”
Xu Jingran laughed, “The more the merrier, right?”
“Then you can have another. Our Chen family can raise one more,” her mother-in-law said with a smile.
Xu Jingran thought of her two mischievous boys and another daughter waiting to be married. She groaned, “Forget it. Let second brother’s wife and the girls handle it.”
Hearing this, Xiao Chen, her mother, and Xu Jingran all laughed together.
After the third-day ceremony ended, Old Chen returned home with her eldest son and daughter-in-law, satisfied with the day.
That evening, Xiao Chen told her husband, Liu Sanzhuang, “My father, elder brother and second brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law got silver locks and small silver bracelets for An’er.” She even showed the gifts to him.
“Oh, they got into so much trouble… Why did they send such expensive things? And you just accepted them?” Liu Sanzhuang asked, surprised.
“I didn’t want to, but my eldest sister-in-law would have been upset if I refused. It’s okay though. When An’er grows up, we’ll make sure he respects his uncles properly,” Xiao Chen replied with a smile.
Liu Sanzhuang nodded eagerly. “Alright, I’ll follow your lead.”
The next morning, watching her husband’s silly grin, Xiao Chen couldn’t help laughing and rolled her eyes. She carefully put away the silver lock and bracelets, saying, “The name our Father gave our son is so lovely—Liu An. I really like it.”
Liu Sanzhuang chuckled, recalling the previous day. “Yeah, remember how Father first wanted to call him Tie Dan? Our son cried so hard. Then Father changed it to Liu An, and he stopped crying.”
Today was the happiest day for Liu Dahai’s family. But not everyone shared their joy. Liu Dahai’s third brother, Liu Dahu, had a different mood. Liu Dahai’s parents had four sons: Liu Dajiang, Liu Dahe, Liu Dahu, and Liu Dahai. Before their parents passed, the sons had already divided the family property. Over the years, since Liu Dahai’s family had no sons, Liu Dajiang and Liu Dahe had worried for their younger brother, while Liu Dahu secretly felt relieved.
Dahu’s family had many grandsons, while Liu Dahai’s household only had daughters. However, Liu Dahai’s family also owned eight acres of land. If they never produced a son, Dahu had planned to adopt one of their grandsons. Last year, he had discussed it with Liu Dahai, who was somewhat willing but wanted to wait.
Who would have guessed that Fourth Brother’s family would finally have a son? Now Dahu’s eight acres wouldn’t need to be split. He muttered to himself, “That Fourth Brother has a boy now… our eight acres are wasted.”
His wife, Mrs. Qian, sighed. Liu Dahu shot her a sharp glare. “What eight acres? Stop spouting nonsense. If the kids hear, rumors will spread, and our family’s reputation will suffer.”
Mrs. Qian shrank back, murmuring, “But didn’t you tell me every day that Fourth Brother’s eight acres belonged to us?”
Hearing her, Dahu became even more annoyed, thinking about Liu Dahai’s newborn boy. “Never mention this again. Keep it to yourself. Liu Dahai’s son belongs to his own family. Don’t let a word ruin relations with him.”
Mrs. Qian quietly agreed but muttered to herself, “You spent all that time scheming for your brother’s land, and now you act all noble.” She knew her husband: outwardly kind and fair, but truly selfish and calculating. Still, as long as she didn’t lose out, she enjoyed seeing Dahu take advantage.
Dahu had hidden his intentions well. No one in the third branch knew, not even Liu Dahai. Liu Dahai had even once thought his third brother cared for him, offering to adopt his treasured grandson. At the time, he had declined, not wanting the baby separated from him. If Dahu knew how grateful Fourth Brother was, he might regret acting so aggressively.
Five years later, Liu An sat on a small wooden chair made by his grandfather, Liu Dahai. Holding a wooden stick, he sighed. He had been in this world for five years, and the farthest he had ever been was to the edge of the village—and only because his father had carried him.
Since his birth as the only male child in the household, his aunts and mother had never had another child. Everyone cherished him, fearing he might get hurt.
Unfortunately, at five years old, Liu An caught a severe cold, high fever threatening his life. The family spent nearly all their savings to treat him, and from then on, life became difficult.
“Oh, my dear grandson, the sun’s strong outside—be careful of heatstroke! Come inside quickly. Grandma made eggs for you. Eat up so you can grow tall,” said Liu An’s grandmother, watching him in the yard, full of concern.
“Thank you, Grandma! I’m coming!” Liu An replied with a smile.
Even seven-year-old Qi Ya, feeding the chickens, swallowed hard upon hearing that Grandma had cooked eggs for her little brother. But even at seven, she understood that her brother’s well-being came first. Whatever Grandma gave Liu An, his sisters would never feel jealous—instead, they always thought first of him.
Of course, Liu An wasn’t really a five-year-old child. When he entered the house and took the egg from his grandmother, he first held it out to her. “Grandma, you eat a bite first. The egg is so delicious. You need to eat it so you’ll be strong!”
Hearing this, Grandmother Liu’s face lit up with a bigger smile. “My dear grandson, Grandma loves eggs! Hurry and eat it before it cools, or your stomach will hurt.”
Liu An knew his grandmother was reluctant to eat it herself—ever since he was born, the best food in the house always went to him first. Each day, she gave him an egg. While she wasn’t looking, Liu An broke his egg in half and fed it to her. Touched, Grandmother Liu laughed as she ate, saying, “My dear boy, you’re so thoughtful even at such a young age!”
Liu An smiled. “Grandma, when I grow up, I’ll make sure you eat eggs and meat every day. I’ll even find a few maids to serve you so you never have to work again.”
“Ha! My clever grandson, I’ll be waiting for that day. Now hurry and eat while it’s hot. I’m going to cook, and soon your uncles and father will come back from the fields,” she said, smiling at the child’s words, then headed off to her work.
Liu An nodded, taking his half-egg and quietly leaving the house. He approached Qi Ya, who was feeding the chickens. “Qi Ya, this is for you,” he said, offering her the egg.
Qi Ya smiled, shaking her head. “You eat it, little brother. I don’t want it.”
Seeing her struggling not to drool, Liu An couldn’t help himself. She was barely taller than him, even at Qi Ya, so he stuffed the half-egg into her mouth. “Sister, I can’t finish it. You help me.”
Afterwards, he grabbed the basket from her hands and walked to the chicken pen. “Chickens, eat up! Grow strong and lay lots of eggs!”
Qi Ya, moved by her brother’s care, quickly finished her bite and reached for the basket. “You’re still small, little brother. Let me feed them.”
Liu An held the basket and dodged her hands. “Qi Ya, you underestimate me. I’m a boy now. I’ll protect my sisters when I grow up.”
Qi Ya giggled. “Alright, little brother. You feed the chickens, and I’ll chop some food for them.” The two siblings worked together, dividing the chores. Though small, children from poor families learned responsibility early. In the Liu household, adults handled the heavier work; the girls only collected wild vegetables, helping in the harvest when needed.
“Look at our An’er, already feeding the chickens! So capable,” praised Liu Dazhuang, returning from the fields.
“I’m a real boy now, Uncle! Can I come to the fields with you tomorrow?” Liu An asked eagerly.
Everyone laughed, and Dazhuang scooped up the pale little boy. “You want to work in the fields under the hot sun? You’d turn into a little coal ball! I can’t let that happen.” Gently, he set Liu An down.
Liu An’s joyful face fell. He looked to his Uncle Erzhuang and then to his father, Liu Sanzhuang. Both shook their heads. “You’re too young. Wait another two years,” his father said.
Seeing no support from the adults, Liu An turned his hopes to his grandparents. He hadn’t considered his mother or aunts before because they were overprotective, treating him like a porcelain doll—ever since no one had been pregnant in the past three years.
Soon, Liu An’s aunts and mother returned with baskets of wild vegetables. As the food was ready, Grandmother Liu called everyone for dinner.
“My dear grandson, what’s wrong? You were fine just now. Did someone upset you?” she asked, concerned.
“I don’t want to stay in the yard all day. I want to work in the fields with Grandpa and the others,” Liu An pouted.
Grandmother Liu laughed. “My boy, farming is dirty, tiring, and the sun is strong. You’re too small. Stay here and be good with Grandma.”
“I don’t want to stay! I want to go out! Or let me go with Mom and the aunts to collect vegetables. I promise I won’t run off. Please, Grandma!” Liu An begged, acting like a spoiled child.
Grandma, who always indulged him, nodded. “Alright, alright. You can go with them tomorrow, but don’t run off—there are tigers in the mountains!”
“Yay! Grandma, I knew you were the best!” Liu An cheered.
“What about Grandpa?” the old man teased, pretending to be jealous.
“Grandpa is the best too! I love you most, Grandpa!” Liu An replied quickly. Grandmother Liu laughed at her husband’s expression, scolding him jokingly.
Liu Dahai, the grandfather, nodded. “Even though An’er is our only boy, he shouldn’t be stuck at home all day. If he wants to go out, let him—but we adults will watch him carefully. The Liu family will rely on him in the future.”
Liu An’s heart leapt. Tomorrow he could finally go out with his mother and aunts. Everyone else nodded in agreement; the grandfather’s word was final.
Lying in bed, Liu An was thrilled. The family was poor, and though everyone worked hard, they barely had enough to eat. Seeing his sisters, he felt even more protective. In his previous life as a girl, his parents had pampered him—he had never suffered. Now, as a boy, he realized how precarious life was.
“Poor sisters… wait for me. When I make money, I’ll make sure you all have a good life too,” Liu An whispered to himself before falling asleep.