Xu Sulan asked Ming Fei to go outside and play first. The sun was bright today, and sitting in a sheltered spot would quickly warm her up. As for herself, she stayed inside to thoroughly scold Xu Cuihua and Ming Erde from head to toe—this was also why Xu Sulan had sent Ming Fei outside.
It wasn’t appropriate to scold her parents in front of the child, even though this pair of parents truly deserved it.
“You’re both parents now, yet you still act like children. Don’t you know you should set a good example in front of Feifei?” Xu Sulan concluded with exasperation.
Both of them were like this. Ming Erde had just returned from the brink of death, and Xu Cuihua herself had a hole in her head, yet they still carried on like this.
“Mom, I understand. Please calm down.”
Xu Cuihua respected the original owner’s mother deeply, and she truly had no intention of holding a grudge against Ming Erde.
Men, after all, occasionally have wild fantasies about taking charge—it’s normal.
“I hope both of you remember this.”
Xu Sulan glared at the two of them, then turned and went outside to sit and tidy up her things.
During her stay at her son-in-law’s house, she had brought quite a few medicinal herbs to dry in the yard. If anyone in the village needed help, they could simply come to her son-in-law’s house to find her.
Ming Fei, who had been sitting in a corner sunbathing, immediately sidled over when she saw Xu Sulan tidying the herbs, curiously following along to learn.
Her specialty was Western medicine, and she didn’t know much about traditional Chinese medicine. However, after Moshi, medical supplies were scarce, and the use of Chinese herbal medicine became more frequent. As a medical worker, Ming Fei naturally learned along the way, though she hadn’t studied for long.
Traditional Chinese medicine is something that requires a great deal of time and experience to accumulate. Now was the perfect opportunity—Xu Sulan’s family had practiced medicine for generations, and Ming Fei could easily learn from her in her spare time.
Seeing her granddaughter squatting beside her, curiously watching her movements, Xu Sulan’s gaze softened. “Feifei, do you know what this is?”
“It looks like rhubarb?” Ming Fei hesitated before answering.
It was already dried, so she wasn’t entirely sure, but it vaguely resembled it.
“Yes, it’s rhubarb. There’s quite a lot of it on the back hills here. Rhubarb is a good thing—it clears heat, cools the blood, and detoxifies. It can also be used if you’re constipated.” Seeing Ming Fei’s keen interest, Xu Sulan couldn’t help but say a few more words.
“Mom, you and Feifei stay home and keep an eye on Erde. I’m going out for a walk.”
She planned to go up the mountain to take a look—the family was on the brink of starvation.
At least now, while everyone else was out working, she could go up the mountain to look around. Of course, she didn’t dare say this directly, or else Xu Sulan, who was worried about her, would definitely not allow it.
“Your head injury hasn’t healed yet. Shouldn’t you rest at home?”
“No, I can’t lie still.”
“Alright then, remember to come back for dinner.” After saying this, Xu Sulan lowered her head again to introduce more herbs to Ming Fei.
Nowadays, Western medicine was extremely scarce, and most people still relied on traditional Chinese medicine for treatment.
Before Xu Cuihua could even step out of the yard after opening the gate, she saw a little boy clutching something in his arms, looking at her nervously. He moved his lips as if he had something to say.
Searching through the original owner’s memories, she finally recognized him. “Zhu Xiaoqi?”
“…Auntie, I’m looking for Ming Fei.”
Zhu Xiaoqi had no choice. He was too hungry. Ming Fei had promised him six sweet potatoes before she left yesterday, but she still hadn’t given them to him. She might have forgotten, so Zhu Xiaoqi naturally had to come to her door to ask for them—after all, it was the reward he deserved.
And there was also the little wolf cub in his arms.
He had no ability to raise this creature, and besides, this little wolf cub hadn't followed him down the mountain—it was clearly following Ming Fei. Whether it got lost or was kept was Ming Fei's business, none of his concern.
He hesitated, still not knocking, when Xu Cuihua came out.
"Looking for Feifei?" Xu Cuihua repeated, then turned and called into the courtyard, "Feifei, Zhu Xiaoqi is here for you!"
But… what Zhu Xiaoqi was holding in his arms wasn't a dog, was it? Xu Cuihua had grown up in a mountain village. Since childhood, relying on her immense strength, she often went hunting in the mountains and could naturally distinguish between wolves and dogs. At a glance, she recognized that what Zhu Xiaoqi was holding was a wolf, not a little gray dog.
She wanted to ask Zhu Xiaoqi where he got the wolf cub, hoping to find one for her daughter too. If raised from a young age, such a wolf cub could likely be tamed and could protect her daughter in the future.
Then incidents like Jin Dan's would surely never happen again.
Wasn't this better than doing it herself? Her daughter was frail; even if she trained, it was uncertain whether she could build up her strength.
Before Xu Cuihua could ask Zhu Xiaoqi where the wolf cub came from, Ming Fei inside slapped her own forehead, immediately scrambled up, and ran toward the gate.
Seeing Ming Fei come out, Zhu Xiaoqi's eyes immediately filled with displeasure.
"Sorry, sorry! When I got back, I found my mother injured, and too many things happened—I forgot. I'll get it for you right away."
When she ate roasted sweet potatoes in the morning, she had mentioned feeling like she'd forgotten something, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't recall it. She had even thought about the original female lead who hadn't appeared yet, yet still couldn't remember this kind person who had helped her down the mountain.
Zhu Xiaoqi's face was cold as he extended a hand toward Ming Fei. "Hand it over!"
"Mom, I got lost in the mountains yesterday and couldn't find my way down. I met Zhu Xiaoqi, and he helped me down, even carrying me and running a long way. I promised him six sweet potatoes as payment."
She had mentioned this to Xu Cuihua, but with so much happening yesterday, not only had she forgotten, but Xu Cuihua had forgotten too.
Now that he had come asking for it, Ming Fei felt extremely awkward. Along with the embarrassment came self-reproach. She didn't lack food—though the current conditions offered little in the way of good meals, at least she could fill her stomach. But Zhu Xiaoqi was different.
Zhu Xiaoqi had gone up the mountain yesterday precisely to look for food. He was in need, so during the time she had forgotten, he might have gone hungry.
"I'll go get it for you right now."
Seeing Ming Fei's sincere expression, Zhu Xiaoqi's expression softened slightly.
He was indeed starving. He had already decided that if Ming Fei refused to admit it, he would simply eat the little wolf cub—it was meat, after all, big or small.
Nestled in Zhu Xiaoqi's arms, the little wolf cub, which had been constantly trying to leap toward Ming Fei, shivered and warily glanced around.
Ming Fei quickly ran out with a bundle of sweet potatoes, which she had packed in a straw rope bag from home to make it easier for Zhu Xiaoqi to carry.
Zhu Xiaoqi took the sweet potatoes, his mood improving considerably, and handed over the little wolf cub he had been holding all along. "Here, your cub."
Ming Fei was stunned for a moment, hesitantly pointing at herself. "Mine?"
Zhu Xiaoqi, eager to return and fill his stomach, grew impatient. "If it's not yours, whose could it be? It was chasing after you! If you don't want it, take it back up the mountain. I can't afford to raise it."
Xu Cuihua, who hadn't been part of Ming Fei's conversation, brightened up. With this little wolf cub, she wouldn't need to go looking for one specially.
However, she was now more focused on another matter—why did Zhu Xiaoqi say the wolf cub belonged to Ming Fei? And how did Ming Fei encounter a wolf on the mountain?
Ming Fei hadn’t mentioned anything about encountering a wolf yesterday!
There must be a mother wolf around the cub!
Ming Fei: "…"
But wasn’t this wolf cub the one you brought down? I thought you were planning to raise it to guard the house and take it up the mountain to hunt for food in the future!
The wolf cub whimpered in Zhu Xiaoqi’s hands, its limbs constantly pawing toward Ming Fei. Seeing that Ming Fei didn’t take it, Zhu Xiaoqi simply set it down, turned, and walked away.
He was starving.
No time to waste here.
As soon as the wolf cub touched the ground, it immediately wagged its tail and ran toward Ming Fei, circling around her feet. It was unclear why it liked Ming Fei so much.
Ming Fei glanced at Xu Cuihua, then at the wolf cub circling her feet, clearly hungry, and for a moment, she didn’t know what to do.
"Since this little wolf likes you so much, Feifei, just raise it. It won’t eat much anyway."
When it grows bigger, take it up the mountain to hunt and let it fend for itself!
Her daughter’s health wasn’t great, so raising a wolf from a young age was just right. As for how to train it, Xu Cuihua said she could help.
With a wolf around, the villagers probably wouldn’t dare bully her daughter.
Isn’t that more reliable than a dog?
Ming Fei was actually quite tempted. Her main concern was that the wolf might attack people when it grew up. Unless she could control it, she definitely couldn’t keep it.
"Keep it. I’ll train it for you."
Then there was no problem.
She still didn’t know Xu Cuihua and Ming Erde’s identities before they transmigrated, but judging by the two of them, neither seemed easy to mess with and appeared quite reliable.
Carrying the wolf cub home, Ming Fei found a bowl, scooped half a cooked sweet potato into it, and placed it in front of the cub.
The wolf cub must have been truly hungry. As soon as it caught the scent of food, it immediately gathered around. Even though it wasn’t what it usually ate, hunger drove it not to be picky.
Xu Sulan came over to take a look and didn’t say anything upon seeing this. She shared Xu Cuihua’s view—Ming Fei was too vulnerable on her own, and that Ming Dade family was no good. Raising a dog would be nice.
As for a wolf, it’s the ancestor of dogs, so raising one wasn’t much different.
At noon that day, Xu Cuihua returned carrying a grass basket. She closed the door, pushed aside the wild vegetables on top, and revealed two dead pheasants and four eggs underneath. Ming Fei’s eyes lit up almost instantly.
Chicken!!
Seeing her daughter’s eyes shining brightly at her, Xu Cuihua felt immensely satisfied—see? She was the reliable one. The head of this household was undoubtedly her!
Ming Erde, who had recovered somewhat after waking up, wasn’t lying in bed. Seeing the two pheasants and eggs, he knew he was a step behind. Without hesitation, he called Ming Fei over and said he would take her to Ming Dade’s house to steal chickens.
Ming Fei’s attention was immediately diverted.
Wild pheasants were important, and eggs were important too, but chickens stolen from Ming Dade’s family would surely taste even better. However, with one of them injured and the other still young, going over like this wouldn’t work.
"Mom! Dad wants to take me to Uncle’s house to steal chickens. Let’s go together!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Cuihua immediately put down the half-plucked chicken in her hands and stood up to follow.
Her man was frail and injured, and her daughter was still young. If she didn’t go along, what if they got bullied?
Xu Sulan glanced at the half-processed pheasant, shook her head, and came over to continue plucking the feathers.
That family only bullies the weak and fears the strong. Yesterday, her daughter had beaten them until their heads bled, and last night she had gone over to curse them out. Today, they wouldn’t dare cause any more trouble.
Jin Dan was lying on the ground, wailing loudly. The swelling on his face from Xu Cuihua’s beating yesterday hadn’t gone down yet, and paired with his dark skin, he looked both ridiculous and pathetic.
Now the entire Dadui knew he had been beaten by Xu Cuihua yesterday. How could he have the face to go out and play with his friends today? Besides, his face hurt—what was wrong with wanting to eat some meat?
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Xu Cuihua holding Ming Fei’s hand and walking toward him with Ming Erde. Jin Dan, who had been about to continue throwing a tantrum for meat, jolted and scrambled up from the ground, turning to run inside.
"Mom! Grandma! Second Uncle is here with that woman again!"
Zhao Xiulan and Old Mrs. Ming, who were also too embarrassed to go out today after being beaten, trembled at the words. But when they heard Ming Erde was with them, they immediately regained their confidence.
"Erde! Erde! You have no idea how this woman treated your mother while you were lying there! She almost beat me to death. What kind of daughter-in-law treats her in-laws like this?"
"Second brother, you should control your wife. Look at how she beat Mom! She also beat your brother and me, and even Dad. Look at Jin Dan’s face—does she even care about you? She took advantage of you being unconscious to torment your flesh and blood, your family, and your elders!"
Author's Note:
My friend forgot my pen name, and today when we were talking about new stories, I mentioned that this one might be a bit abstract. She instantly remembered what my pen name was.
Because she remembered that my pen name is also quite abstract.
Well… thank you for not remembering my pen name but remembering that it’s abstract. [pats head]