For dinner, she simply cooked a large pot of white rice. The noon rice hadn't been particularly tasty, so she added Pearl Rice bought from the mall. Sure enough, the steamed rice looked much more appealing.
Even the rice water had become thicker.
It smelled fragrant.
Heating oil in a cold wok, she tossed in the chopped cabbage and seasoned it with soy sauce and salt.
Children's stomachs are delicate, and they've been eating simply for a long time. After such a hearty lunch with meat and eggs, she couldn't feed them too rich meals every time, afraid of upsetting their stomachs and doing more harm than good.
They needed to build up their health gradually.
Especially in the evening, they should eat lighter.
When the three children saw the stir-fried water cabbage on the table, they didn't look too disappointed.
Who gets to eat eggs and meat at every meal!
Having a bowl of white rice was already quite good.
"I'll make something delicious for you tomorrow morning. Let's keep it simple for tonight."
Li Jianjun quickly shook his head, grinning to show his white teeth. "It's white rice! It smells so good!"
He took a deep breath as if what lay before him wasn't ordinary rice but some rare delicacy.
Even Li Jianguo gave a soft hum of agreement.
Plain white rice without any additions, and it seemed even tastier than the noon rice—softer and more delicious.
This was something they hadn't dared to dream of before. Even at their grandmother's house, getting to eat the white rice stuck to sweet potatoes was considered a treat.
But to Shen Ning, this scene only brought heartache.
These children were so easy to please!
"Then eat up! There's more rice in the pot."
Xiaohua shoveled a big mouthful of rice, her cheeks puffing out like a little hamster's.
Chew, chew, chew…
"Niang Niang, can we have rice again tomorrow?"
She tapped the tip of her nose with a smile. "Of course! Tomorrow, Niang Niang will make you something delicious again!"
After dinner, she left the dishwashing to the two little ones while she fetched water to bathe Xiaohua.
The fragrant Xiangzao lathered into bubbles, and she scrubbed the girl from head to toe until she was spotless.
Then she took out the new underwear and pink short-sleeved shirt bought today and dressed her in them.
"Xiaohua, remember what Niang Niang said: no one is allowed to touch your panties when you're outside, understand? No matter who it is, they must be a bad person. You must come home and tell Niang Niang, understand?"
Li Xiaohua was too young to fully grasp why, but Shen Ning's serious expression made her realize this was a grave matter.
She nodded obediently. "Mm, Niang Niang, I remember. No touching panties!"
Freshly bathed, Xiaohua's little face was fair and tender, her large, dark eyes blinking like grapes—utterly adorable.
Mwah!
She couldn't resist kissing Xiaohua's cheek.
The little girl was surprised but soon beamed with joy at this affectionate gesture.
"Our Xiao Hua'er is so well-behaved~"
After the two boys had finished their baths, it was Shen Ning's turn to wash up. Outside, the sky had turned completely dark. In the dim light of the kerosene lamp, the night offered her a sense of security.
She carried a large bucket of hot water to a small shed built in the yard.
It used to be a pigsty. After it fell into disuse, they made some minor modifications, and it served quite well as a simple bathing enclosure.
But just as she started to undress, she heard a noise.
The sound came from outside the courtyard, like someone stepping on and breaking a tree branch.
Her mind worked quickly, and in the next second, she called out, "Jianguo, fetch me a ladle of cold water. This water is too hot."
Without waiting for his reply, she continued muttering, "What's taking you so long, child? I called you, and you didn't answer. What are you doing?"
As she spoke, she lifted the cloth curtain and walked outside, just as Li Jianguo emerged from the kitchen. He was holding a gourd ladle filled to the brim with water.
Shen Ning kept complaining as if she hadn't seen him.
But her hand gestures told a different story—she pointed to the carrying pole leaning against the wall and then toward the outside of the courtyard.
Li Jianguo understood instantly. He put down the ladle and immediately pulled a thick wooden stick from the firewood pile.
"I'm here now, why are you so fussy!"
"You little brat, I've fed and raised you well, and this is the attitude you give me? Can't even fetch a ladle of water, really…"
After grumbling a few more words, the courtyard fell silent again.
It seemed she had gotten the water and was about to come in to bathe.
Sure enough, a dark shadow lurked outside the courtyard, tiptoeing and craning its neck, peering intently through the cracks in the wooden boards.
Thump! A heavy blow from the wooden stick landed on the man's head.
"Ouch—"
"Good! I'll beat you to death!"
Thump, thump, thump—
Shen Ning struck blow after blow with deadly force. Whoever he was, if he dared to climb her wall, she'd finish him!
Another thick wooden stick joined in, striking the man repeatedly.
"Ouch, ouch…"
The man, beaten and covering his head, scurried away like a rat. He didn't dare make a sound other than pitiful wails and quickly fled into the darkness.
"Go to hell! If you dare climb my wall again, I'll gouge out your eyes and crush them! Pah! Shameless dog!"
After fiercely cursing, the entire quiet village seemed to echo with Shen Ning's shouts.
Once she finished, she returned to her gentle demeanor and softly ruffled Li Jianguo's hair.
"Jianguo, you're amazing. Let's go back inside."
In the dim light, his expression was unclear, but she could feel his body stiffen—he clearly wasn't used to such intimate contact.
"Niang Niang."
Shen Ning froze.
This was the first time since arriving in this world that Li Jianguo had called her that!
From the initial sharp, hedgehog-like little creature to now, where the mountain of prejudice was slowly melting away—it felt incredibly rewarding!
Her voice carried a hint of anticipation, "What is it?"
"I'll stand guard outside while you bathe, Niang Niang."
A warm feeling blossomed in her heart!
She raised an eyebrow and looked at the little boy. "Aren't you afraid? It's so dark out there."
He shook his head firmly, puffing out his chest. "Not afraid."
Still, having someone stand guard outside would ease her mind. "Alright, I'll bar the door. Call me if anything happens."
She slipped her hand into her pocket and, using it as cover, retrieved a fruit candy from the Points Mall.
"Here, open your hand."
Li Jianguo, puzzled, obediently opened his palm.
A fruit candy wrapped in red paper fell into his hand.
"A reward for our brave little man!"
Leaning close to his ear, she whispered softly, "Do this secretly, don't let Second Brother and Third Brother see, or they'll cry."
Though the night was pitch dark with only faint starlight overhead, he always remembered Niang Niang's smile with exceptional clarity—so gentle it seemed as if she were the one glowing.
[Ding! Li Jianguo's favorability +50!]
!!!