Lu Minggui remembered that it wasn’t yet famine season, and she was still in charge of the household. The rice, flour, and other staples were all stored in her room.
She quickly returned to her room and rummaged through her supplies. There was still some coarse grain, unpolished rice, pickles, and five eggs left.
Normally, eggs would be saved to trade for money or salt.
But seeing Shen Juye’s pale, frail face, Lu Minggui made up her mind and took two eggs into the kitchen.
She had been unconscious for so long that she felt her own stomach growling. The second household, with a pregnant daughter-in-law, needed proper nourishment.
Before the doctor arrived, she decided to feed everyone first.
She had long been accustomed to housework. Though Shen Juye usually handled the chores now, Lu Minggui had kept busy all these years.
She lit the fire, filled a pot with water, and began cooking some coarse rice porridge.
While the rice was cooking, she washed some spinach to make a spinach and egg soup.
At that moment, Manman stepped timidly into the kitchen: “Ah-Nai, I’ll help with the fire.”
Normally, Shen Juye cooked while Manman helped tend the stove. Seeing Lu Minggui busy, the little girl felt she should help too.
Although her grandmother wasn’t unkind, she had never been close to her, and Manman was slightly afraid.
Her mother had told her that girls needed to be diligent so that their parents and grandparents would like them.
Now, with her father gone, she had to try even harder to please her grandmother.
Though only five years old, Manman understood death. She had seen how Ergou’s mother died and was buried in a dirt mound, after which no one treated him kindly. His father remarried, and his stepmother was cruel to him.
Manman felt a pang in her chest.
She forced a smile at Lu Minggui and repeated bravely: “Ah-Nai, I’ll tend the fire.”
Lu Minggui looked at the little girl. She was thin and small, with wispy yellow hair. Like her mother, she spoke little and ate little. Lu Minggui had never paid her much attention before.
Now, seeing the child’s situation, she felt pity. Such a small girl had already lost her father.
She thought she should treat the little granddaughter well.
She didn’t stop Manman from helping with the fire; tending a flame was a simple task, and most village children helped with chores.
“Okay,” she said. “You watch the fire, Ah-Nai will wash the spinach.”
She scooped water into a basin and washed the vibrant green spinach. The leaves were tender and fresh.
In the past, she would have been reluctant to eat spinach. The family didn’t have much land, and most of the real farmland was for grains—staples that filled the stomach.
The Song family only grew some spinach and Chinese cabbage, most of which Hu Cuihua would send back to her family.
Compared with vegetables, villagers mainly ate wild greens.
While cleaning the spinach, Lu Minggui thought about the droughts that would come next year. She worried. Once Shen Juye gave birth, she would need to figure out how to leave.
But for now, she would tackle the immediate problem.
Soon, the spinach went into the pot. The leaves were tender, and with a quick blanch, they were ready. Golden egg ribbons floated in the soup, and she added a bit of pork lard. The oil sizzled instantly, releasing a rich aroma.
The fragrant smell hit her nose, making her mouth water. Memories of famine years flashed in her mind—she hadn’t had a full meal in ages. During those times, egg soup was a luxury; they had eaten bark and roots to survive.
This soup smelled heavenly.
Turning, she saw Manman secretly licking her lips.
She laughed: “Little greedy one.”
“I’m not greedy! I won’t eat!” the girl said, blushing.
Lu Minggui frowned: “Why not? Ah-Nai made it for the three of us!”
“Your mother can’t get out of bed. Take it to your room,” she said quickly.
She carefully ladled the spinach and egg soup into a bowl and served the coarse grain rice with three small black buns on the side.
“I’ll carry this; you bring the bowls and chopsticks,” she instructed.
Manman froze. Eggs at home were usually reserved for Jinbao and Yinbao. Now Ah-Nai was saying she and her mother would eat?
It felt strange… but in a good way.
“Okay,” she said, grabbing the bowls and following Lu Minggui.
The sound of the door alerted Shen Juye, who struggled to sit up: “Mother…”
“You’re heavily pregnant. Don’t get up yet. Wait for the doctor,” Lu Minggui said.
Shen Juye’s room was small, but without much furniture, it didn’t feel cramped. There was only a bed and a small table.
Lu Minggui placed the food on the table and set a bowl of spinach and egg soup by the bedside: “Drink some soup with the buns.”
Shen Juye hesitated, but the enticing aroma made her mouth water. She stared at the golden egg ribbons in the bowl and refused: “Mother, you eat it. I won’t.”
She had only eaten a meal like this once while giving birth to Manman.
Although her cravings stirred, she held back. Could such good food really be meant for her?
Seeing her refusal, Lu Minggui scolded firmly: “You will eat it!”
Shen Juye still shook her head: “Or… maybe Manman should eat it…”
She glanced at Lu Minggui’s face nervously.
The mother-in-law had always favored the eldest son’s family. Manman, being a girl, was usually neglected.
Would giving soup to Manman anger her grandmother?
Seeing Shen Juye’s cautious manner, Lu Minggui reflected. Was she truly biased at such a time?
Her second daughter-in-law didn’t even dare to eat a bowl of soup!
Enough—actions spoke louder than words. She said firmly: “Manman will have a big bowl too.”
“If I tell you to drink, you drink. If you don’t, doesn’t the baby in your belly need it?”
Manman added: “Mother, Ah-Nai said I also get a bowl. You drink too!”
“Really?” Shen Juye still doubted, so Manman quickly showed her: “Ah-Nai said one bowl each. Whoever finishes first can have another.”
It was a playful promise Lu Minggui had made—and it was true. The large basin of spinach and egg soup was enough for all three.
“Mother, Mother, hurry! Drink it before it gets cold.”
This time, Shen Juye believed it and eagerly sipped the soup. Its sweetness filled her with contentment.
Manman grinned, showing her missing teeth: “Ah-Nai, you drink too!”