Zhang Cuie felt a sudden pang of grievance, but before it could settle, the woman beside her gently patted her hand. She looked up to meet a soft, warm smile. "I know you mean well for us. But we took in Baixiang without ever expecting anything in return. Yuxi Village is a poor, remote place, and Baixiang happened to land in our home—that's fate. We're simply honoring that fate, and I believe Mother feels the same way. Raising a child is no easy task, but Dashan and I will work harder to earn money and try not to add too much burden to the household."
"Who said you're adding a burden?" Zhang Cuie's grievance melted away as she rolled her eyes in feigned irritation. "I was a girl myself when I was little—I don't mind having another girl in the family."
With that, she raised her voice and teased the little one who was still smiling innocently on the other side. "Our Baixiang has such a sweet tongue—call me Auntie, and I'll sew you an extra little outfit!"
The moment her words fell, a sweet "Auntie!" drifted into her ears, and Zhang Cuie bent over with laughter.
Well, so be it.
At least the eldest brother and his wife got to experience being parents for once.
And if Baixiang ever failed to remember their kindness in raising her, there were still the two boys in the family—they could always see to their eldest uncle and aunt's care in their old age.
Granny Lin happened to walk in at that moment. She made her way to the fire, hooked a stool over with her foot, and sat down, handing out one red-dyed egg from her bowl to each of the three children.
There were four eggs in total. She peeled the last one, broke it in half, and quickly popped a piece into each daughter-in-law's mouth.
"Baixiang has come to our home, bringing joy to the family. I boiled the four eggs we'd saved and dyed them red—consider it a celebration for Baixiang." Granny Lin set down the bowl and reached out to stroke her little granddaughter's head, her eyes holding both delight and a hint of guilt.
In the old days, a happy occasion in the family would have called for a proper celebration. The Lin family couldn't compare to the wealthy households with their delicacies, but they could at least have put together a decent spread.
Unfortunately, all they could offer Baixiang now was a single red egg.
The children received their red eggs and beamed with joy, their eyes crinkling with happiness.
Li Sulan and Zhang Cuie stood there, the eggs in their mouths, frozen for a long moment before slowly chewing and swallowing, a mix of emotions churning within them.
Four red eggs, shared between them and the children.
The three young men of the house could be excused, but the father-in-law and mother-in-law hadn't tasted a single bite.
Baixiang held the egg in her small hands. It felt hard and warm against her palm… novel and strange.
She looked at the egg, then quietly glanced up at the people around her, her little nose twitching slightly as she breathed in the scent of smoke and fire mingling with the cold air.
Somewhere in her chest, it felt like the egg in her palm had warmed that spot too—warm and cozy.
She liked it here.
No disgusting zombies, no cold-hearted researchers, no stench of disinfectant.
"Why are you just holding it? Can't bear to eat it? Or don't know how to peel it?" A kind, gentle voice drifted over as a thin, calloused hand took the egg from her palm, peeled it clean, brushed off the bits of shell, and handed back the smooth white egg. "Here, eat it quickly—it won't taste as good once it's cold."
Baixiang tentatively took a small bite. The smooth, springy texture spread across her tongue, and the wonderful flavor made her eyes curve into crescents. She looked up at the old woman who was watching her with a smile and called out sweetly, "Anai!"
"Eh! What a good girl." Lin Anai's heart softened, and she patted the child's head once more before turning to instruct her two grandsons, who were crouched nearby licking their eggs. "Song'er, Bai'er, you two take your little sister out to play."
Even in the dead of winter, farming folk couldn't afford to sit idle. The men with strength would go out looking for odd jobs to earn a few coppers, while the women and grandmothers stayed home mending clothes and stitching soles—there was always work to be done, and no time to watch over the little ones constantly.
Letting the children play together was the best solution—children of similar ages naturally got along, and their new granddaughter would come to accept this family more quickly.
Lin Huaisong and Lin Huaibai were six and five years old respectively—still young, but obedient. At their grandmother's command, they immediately brought their new sister over and taught her how to lick the egg.
The adults busied themselves by the fire, chatting as they worked, while the children exchanged endless whispered secrets of their own.
Lin Huaisong: "Little sister, is your name really Baixiang?"
Lin Huaibai: "It's a bit of a mouthful. Such a strange name. All the other girls in the village are called Dani, Xiaoya, Goumei'er!"
Baixiang nodded emphatically, utterly certain. "My name is Baixiang!"
Her name had been given to her by those people in white coats. They'd said it was because of her Hundred-Herb Physique and how her medicinal properties merged—blah blah blah—followed by a long string of words too lengthy for her to remember.
All she remembered was that she had a name now: Baixiang.
She didn't like those people, but the name was usable.
She didn't want to be called Goumei'er.
A small clay pot was set up by the fire, medicinal herbs tossed in with water to brew. The faint scent of herbs mingled with the smoke of the firewood, accompanied by the soft murmurs of the women and children, and the gentle swish of snow being swept outside the door. Time seemed to slow, bringing an inexplicable peace to the heart.
Baixiang sat beside her brothers, swinging her little feet, a smile unconsciously curling at the corners of her mouth. In her cheerful mood, she heard a suppressed cough coming from behind the door at the back of the main room.
She instinctively looked in that direction. "Grandfather is coughing again."
Lin Huaisong nodded, his small face dimming. "Grandfather has been coughing for a long, long time. Ever since he fell ill, he coughs often, and the medicine hasn't helped."
"Our grandfather is such a good person. He dotes on us so much. Before, when he came back from chopping wood in the mountains, he'd often bring us wild fruit in his pockets, and when he went to town to buy things, he'd always bring us delicious sweet cakes…" Lin Huaibai also lost his smile, and when he mentioned food, he couldn't help but slurp back some drool.
He looked at his eldest brother, then at his little sister who was still staring at the door across the room. His eyes rolled around for a moment, and he lowered his voice. "Should we go in and see Grandfather?"
He missed Grandfather.
Ever since Grandfather fell ill, he'd been lying in bed, and that door had stayed shut. Grandmother and their parents wouldn't let the two brothers go into the room freely, afraid they'd disturb Grandfather, so they rarely got to see him during the day.
With someone beside her making the suggestion, Baixiang nodded without a second thought.
She had seen Grandfather once.
Last night, Father had carried her into the room.
She hadn't paid much attention to what the adults were saying, but the very thin, very frail old man lying in bed had smiled warmly when he saw her—a smile just like Grandmother's and Mother's—and it made her heart feel warm.
Taking advantage of the adults being distracted in conversation, the brothers Lin Huaisong and Lin Huaibai led their little sister, crouching low, and sneakily pushed open that closed door, slipping into the room.
A damp, cold air thick with the smell of medicine rushed into their noses. Combined with the winter chill and the windows being shut tight for ventilation, the smell in the room was hardly pleasant.
"Grandfather, Grandfather!" The two boys paid no attention to the pungent odor at all. They eagerly crowded up to the bedside and called out to the old man in hushed whispers.
Baixiang followed them over. Standing as a tiny child, she was only half a head taller than the wooden bed, her big eyes blinking as she stared at the old man lying there.
Up close, his withered state was even more apparent—so thin he was almost skin and bones, cheekbones jutting out, eye sockets deeply sunken, eyes cloudy and listless, lips dark and bloodless.
But aside from that, the old man's face was clean, and his hair was neatly combed and held in place with a headcloth.
He was being well cared for.