For now, Mei Qian could only store the milk tea powder in the System Space without taking it out directly.
She set down the machete. Her stamina wasn’t as good as her cousin’s, and having just been distracted while talking to Xiao Mei, continuing to practice might have risked injuring herself.
“Where are you going?”
Seeing Mei Qian put down the machete and head toward the edge of the camp, Mei Shitou followed, asking with some concern.
“I’m not going far, just taking a walk nearby.”
Mei Qian wasn’t bold enough to venture beyond the patrol range of the Chen family. She simply found a large rock to climb up, enjoying the breeze and clearing her mind.
This was something Mei Qian had enjoyed doing even before her transmigration.
Having been here for over a month now, Mei Qian was already starting to forget the details of her previous life.
Originally from an orphanage, she had come into this world with nothing and no attachments, except for the severance pay from being laid off with an N+1 compensation package, which she hadn’t fully spent yet and still lingered in her thoughts.
Now, Mei Qian focused more of her attention on her current family.
In this chaotic era of war and turmoil, the Lao Mei Family gave her a strange sense of belonging, making Mei Qian instinctively bare her fangs, much like her grandmother, to protect this home.
“Sigh~”
The evening breeze gently swept away the slight melancholy that had risen in Mei Qian’s heart. Feeling that it was getting late, she stood up from the rock and prepared to head back.
As she turned, Mei Qian’s gaze instinctively followed the faint lights in the darkness.
Looking into the distance, she noticed the Junzhu’s convoy, maintaining a certain distance from the Chen family’s encampment.
The lights over there were dimmer compared to those of the Chen family.
It gave the impression that, unless absolutely necessary, they didn’t even want much light—truly trying not to draw attention.
···
“Mother~”
The next day, during the rest period, Han Shi once again went to the Han family’s encampment.
This time, however, not only was Huang Shi there, but Han Lao’er was also present.
Seeing Han Lao’er, Han Shi nearly failed to keep her expression under control, though she had somewhat prepared herself mentally beforehand.
She couldn’t keep facing only her mother forever.
“Second Brother!”
With this thought, Han Shi’s suddenly raised greeting startled Han Lao’er.
Han Shi rushed over to Han Lao’er as if pleasantly surprised, grabbing his arm and bursting into loud sobs.
“Second Brother! You have to help me! I can’t go on like this! Last night, my mother-in-law skimped on my food again, wuwuwu!”
As she cried, Han Shi’s gaze shifted to Huang Shi. Seeing that Huang Shi was holding only a hard, dry-looking black lump today, Han Shi withdrew her gaze and added, “Mother, why are you eating this today?”
Huang Shi: ?
What did what she ate have to do with Han Shi?
“What exactly happened? Tell Second Brother properly. We’re all family—Second Brother will naturally stand up for you.”
Ignoring the hidden thoughts of the mother and daughter, Han Lao’er asked about what he had specifically stayed behind to find out. “Yesterday, Mother said we still have quite a bit of food left. Even so, your mother-in-law refuses to share with you?”
Hearing Han Lao’er mention words like “family” and “we,” Han Shi felt nauseated inside, but on the surface, she had to maintain a grateful expression. Looking up at Han Lao’er, she said:
“Second Brother, my mother-in-law has been upset lately because I mentioned that you all keep coming to see me, which clearly shows you’re in need.”
“It’s only right for relatives to help and look out for each other, but then my mother-in-law hit me! She even said I was eating from the inside while stealing from the outside, wuwuwu.”
“But didn’t you scold us just a few days ago? Aren’t you angry anymore?”
Han Lao’er was suspicious of Han Shi’s sudden change in attitude.
“Well, I scolded you, but can I hold a grudge? How much hardship and humiliation does a woman without her natal family have to endure? Mother, really, back when you fell out with my mother-in-law, why didn’t you bring two baskets of eggs to make peace?
You made me hold onto this for so long. What’s wrong with me scolding you a few times? It’s not like you’ll lose a piece of flesh…”
Han Shi spoke with such righteous indignation, her words so unpleasant that Huang Shi several times couldn’t help but open her mouth, wanting to curse her back.
Han Sanya’s unpopularity in the old Han family wasn’t just because of her gender; with that mouth of hers and that way of thinking, could any normal person like her?
“So, Sanya, you’re not angry with us anymore?”
Han Lao’er’s eyes flickered as he looked at Han Shi and asked.
“Of course not. Look at how you’re living—covered in dust and dirt every day. Yesterday, Mother’s steamed buns were as hard as rocks. You’re so pitiful, I can’t even stay angry with you anymore. I’m still soft-hearted~”
Han Lao’er: …
Han Shi’s honest and sincere face paired with her sarcastic words made Han Lao’er’s back teeth clench and unclench repeatedly.
“Is that so? That’s good then.” Han Lao’er forced a stiff smile. “So, Sanya, what do you want your second brother to help you with?”
“I want you, Second Brother, to help me make my mother-in-law stop hitting me like this, to back me up!
Nowadays, the Lao Mei Family doesn’t have many men, not like my natal family with so many brothers. In the future, I want to walk sideways in the Lao Mei Family, make my mother-in-law live according to my moods!”
Hearing Han Shi’s request, Huang Shi and Han Lao’er couldn’t help but twitch at the corners of their mouths.
She really dares to dream!
Just thinking about Grandma Mei’s thick, heavy palm made Huang Shi’s face ache faintly from the beating she received that day.
Although Han Lao’er also felt a bit of disdain in his heart, he still coaxed her with his words: “This matter is easy to handle, but then again, as you said, our family isn’t doing well either. Your eldest brother and I are starving every day, we don’t have the strength to go.
If we want to back you up, what if Mei Lao’er starts a fight? We can’t stop him…”
“Then, then what should I do?”
Han Shi wore a foolish expression.
Han Lao’er watched the changes on Han Shi’s face, then pretended to sigh and said, “How about this: you get some grain so our family can eat our fill, then I’ll have the strength to help you, won’t I?”
As soon as grain was mentioned, Han Shi’s expression immediately turned troubled: “But, Second Brother… I, my mother-in-law guards the grain closely. I can’t manage it.”
After Han Shi finished speaking, Han Lao’er immediately pulled a long face and raised his hand to remove Han Shi’s grip on his arm, but Han Shi held onto Han Lao’er tightly, refusing to let go no matter what.
Han Shi pleaded, “Brother, brother, if you successfully back me up, won’t I be able to tell my mother-in-law to give you grain?”
“Is that so? But what if Mei Lao’er attacks us again and we can’t fight back? How can we back you up then?”
“Brother, you can find others to go with you. No matter how capable my second uncle is, he’s just one person. At most, he might have Stone with him, so that’s only two.
I know you, Second Brother, have the most friends. Can’t you just call a few people over to help me?”
“Just shout for the hell of it?” Second Brother Han scoffed, looking at Han Shi as if she were a fool. He added, “You want me to call people over empty-handed? Who’d be willing to work on an empty stomach for nothing?”
“Second Brother, help me. Just help me teach my mother-in-law a lesson and stand up for me. I’ll give you plenty of grain later—you can share it with your friends!”
Finally hearing Han Shi say this, Second Brother Han looked her squarely in the eyes and asked, “How much grain can you give?”
“Second Brother, how much do you want?”