Jiang Fengnian looked up and was so frightened that his face turned pale, his heart nearly leaping out of his throat.
"Mother, thank goodness you called out to me just now, otherwise we might have been…"
Crushed into pulp by the falling rocks!
He swallowed the second half of his sentence, not daring to speak it aloud or even think it. Only his trembling trousers betrayed how terrified he truly was.
Feng Shi was equally stunned.
She stared at the massive boulder, her eyes wide with shock, then slowly looked down at Little Nuobao in her arms, who was deliberately drooling and pretending to sleep.
"It wasn’t me who wanted to stop you—it was your little sister who spoke up just now. I thought she was uncomfortable, so I told you to halt." Feng Shi pressed a hand to her chest, her voice trembling at the end.
How could such a coincidence happen…
Could it be that this precious child was warning them to avoid disaster?
"Was it really my sister?" Jiang Fengnian widened his eyes in disbelief.
After calming down, Feng Shi thought for a moment, intending to ask Little Nuobao why she had called out to stop them.
But when she looked down again, she saw that Little Nuobao had already slightly parted her chapped little lips and was snoring softly, fast asleep.
A wave of tenderness washed over Feng Shi’s heart, and she couldn’t bear to wake her daughter.
It’s said that heavenly secrets must not be revealed. If it truly was her daughter helping them, asking for an explanation might not be appropriate.
So she shook her head and said, "Alright, eldest son, let’s just keep this between us. After all, your sister was born with a blessed face, and today she saved both our lives. From now on, all of you must spoil her for me!"
Jiang Fengnian had no objections. With reddened eyes, he nodded firmly.
"Don’t worry, Mother. My sister saved both our lives today. As long as I have food to eat, she will never go hungry!"
Upon hearing this, Little Nuobao, who was pretending to sleep, felt a deep sense of validation and couldn’t help but reveal a few tiny teeth in a sweet, satisfied smile.
They had no idea that she was the Fortune Star Fairy, descending to the mortal realm to undergo tribulations. A mere falling rock could never harm those she sought to protect.
However, Little Nuobao’s memories of her past life had been erased.
So, aside from her ability to divine fortunes and predict calamities, as well as accept offerings from devotees, most of the time, her infantile nature took precedence.
No sooner had she saved her mother and eldest brother than she couldn’t resist acting like a child again. Even while feigning sleep, she secretly lifted her little bottom and wiggled happily in her swaddling clothes.
Feeling her daughter’s movements, Feng Shi gently patted her with her calloused hands.
She lowered her gaze and gradually smiled.
This newly adopted precious daughter of hers seemed quite extraordinary…
Meanwhile, in Willow Village.
As night fell and Feng Shi and Jiang Fengnian still hadn’t returned, Jiang Fenghu, the second son, along with the fourth and fifth sons, prepared to go to the village entrance to greet their mother and eldest brother.
Sun Chunxue, the wife of the eldest son, picked up the dried radish pickles and cornmeal steamed buns, planning to reheat them in the pot.
"These steamed buns turn rock-hard once they cool down—you can barely bite into them. Mother and the others hauled so much grain into the city to sell today, and they must be exhausted. They shouldn’t have to come back to a cold meal." Sun Chunxue rolled up her sleeves and worked briskly.
Li Qiqiao, the wife of the second son, wore a worried expression as she kept glancing outside.
"It’s just that Mother and Eldest Brother have been gone for so long this time. Our family has been going through a rough patch these past few years—could something have happened on the road?"
"Tsk, tsk, Second Sister-in-law, don’t jinx it!" Sun Chunxue, reminded of the Jiang Family’s recent streak of bad luck, quickly hushed her.
But truth be told, the past few years had indeed been far from smooth for the family.
First, the father-in-law Jiang Dashan fell off a cliff and died, then the third brother was kidnapped without any news. If it weren't for Mother's strong and resilient nature, holding the family together by sheer force of will, this household would have long since fallen apart.
As the two of them were whispering, the creaking sound of a donkey cart came from outside.
"Mother's back!" Jiang Fenghu shouted from the doorway.
Only then did Sun Chunxue and Li Qiqiao breathe a sigh of relief, smiling as they put down their work and went to greet her.
Just as they reached the yard, they saw Jiang Fenghu and his brothers already gathered around the donkey cart, staring at what Feng Shi held in her arms, each of them overjoyed.
The fourth son, Jiang Fengjing, only seven years old and usually cold-natured, for some reason, after just a couple of words, excitedly began punching the air and cheering.
The fifth son, Jiang Fengmiao, was so happy he started jumping up and down like a little fool, almost leaping onto Feng Shi herself!
The two daughters-in-law couldn't help but be surprised.
"What good news could make our fourth son this happy?" Li Qiqiao wondered, craning her neck to see.
Sun Chunxue, still unaware, laughed: "Maybe the corn sold well, and Mother bought something tasty. Let's go take a look."
When the sisters-in-law drew closer for a look, they were instantly startled.
There, sitting in Mother's arms, was a soft, snow-white little girl, waving her chubby hands energetically at the family!
Not food.
A little girl.
The Jiang family erupted!
They finally had a sister too!
"What? Mother has a daughter? Let me see!"
Li Qiqiao rushed over in a flash, nearly knocking Jiang Fenghu over as she failed to stop in time.
Jiang Fenghu trembled with joy, scrambling up to squeeze closer to Feng Shi.
"A sister, it's a sister!" Jiang Fengjing dodged the tumbling second brother and his wife, grabbed his eldest brother's arm and bit it: "It's real, not a dream!"
Jiang Fengmiao, showing his missing teeth, looked both tearful and laughing: "This is wonderful! Mother went out for a day and brought us back a sister. Mother is amazing! Mother, are you in pain?"
"Don't talk nonsense. How could I just produce a child out of thin air? If I had that ability, I'd be treated like a monster," Feng Shi scolded, pinching the fifth son's ear, both amused and exasperated. "Keep your voices down, don't scare your sister. Come closer so she can get to know you all."
Under Feng Shi's stern authority, the family managed to temporarily restrain their wild joy, gathering around their sister as if she were a treasure box.
Little Nuobao rolled her big eyes around, curiously observing her new family.
"Nuobao… I'm Little Nuobao… Hello, everyone~"
So many people.
But… why are they all so excited?
Hmm, why are some even teary-eyed?
Little Nuobao didn't quite understand, but she felt the intense warmth of her new home. Overwhelmed by the affection, she lowered her head, nervously feeling the urge to tug at her pants again…
Seeing Little Nuobao's big, watery eyes, her faint pink baby cheeks, and the way her chubby flesh bounced when she spoke, the second son Jiang Fenghu could no longer contain his adoration!
Risking a scolding from Mother, he immediately tried to snatch his sister over to hold her himself!
The fourth and fifth sons also crowded in.
They stared intently at Nuobao, almost mesmerized.
Such a plump, snow-white little sister was even cuter than they had ever dreamed of!
"Wah, we finally have a sister too! No more envying the neighbor Gou Dan'er," shouted the fifth son Fengmiao.
"No wonder she's a sister—she even smells like milk, so much sweeter than boys!" the fourth son Fengjing exclaimed excitedly.
"Quick, look, our little sister's feet are so fair and plump."
"Her face is fair too, truly lovely."
"Yes, and her little bottom is also fair and plump…"
Seeing them chattering away, making their daughter blush with all the praise, Feng Shi felt a pang of tenderness and gently shooed them aside.
"Go on, go on, hurry and bring your sister to Mother. You don't even know how to give proper compliments! I'll send both of you to school later, so you can learn more words to praise your sister before coming back!"