Li Jianguo thought this wicked woman was just all talk. Eggs were such precious things, how could she possibly bear to give them any? She wouldn't even give them a single eggshell!
Not until the water bubbled and boiled did the four eggs begin to tumble up and down in the churning water.
The high heat caused fine cracks to appear on the eggshells.
Shen Ning spread out a layer of fallen leaves from the courtyard to dry. In the future, they could be used as kindling or for compost; both were useful.
There was no other way. They were too poor now; she had to make use of everything available.
The moment she stepped into the kitchen, she saw the two little ones. One of them wasn't even as tall as the stove, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the eggs in the pot.
It was as if he wished his eyeballs would fall right in.
Upon hearing footsteps at the door, the two little ones instinctively backed away. The second brother immediately shielded his younger sister behind him, watching her direction with a wary expression.
As if she were about to eat them.
Thinking back on the original owner of her body, she had to admit the woman had a truly foul mouth.
Whenever she saw the children looking at food, she would start scolding them with insults like "reincarnated hungry ghosts" or "vicious dogs fighting for scraps"—each more awful than the last.
She sighed internally. Why did the original owner have to make things so difficult for her?
She wasn't human! Simply not human!
Shen Ning said nothing, her expression showing no change as her gaze swept past them to the eggs in the pot.
She glanced at Li Jianguo, who was also looking at her with a gaze full of hatred.
"You can put out the fire. The eggs are cooked. Don't waste firewood."
After speaking, she used a gourd ladle to scoop up some clean water and placed the retrieved eggs inside to cool.
The well water was chilly, and even after being carried from a great distance, it was still cold. It wouldn't take long for the eggs to cool down.
"Eldest, come here."
Li Jianguo couldn't figure out her intentions, but he could guess with his butt that it wouldn't be anything good. She was probably going to take her anger out on him.
But if she hit him, that was fine. If she hit him, she couldn't hit his younger brother and sister!
Gritting his teeth, he got up and walked toward Shen Ning. As he passed his siblings, he didn't forget to gesture for them to stay back.
He shot his second brother a look.
'Run fast later.'
Seeing his ready-to-die expression, Shen Ning found it inexplicably funny, even though she knew she shouldn't.
He walked until he was two steps away from her and stopped, awaiting his final judgment.
Instead, a relatively fair and delicate palm opened before him, a round egg resting in it.
Li Jianguo was stunned. "?"
"For us?"
Shen Ning's brow twitched in resignation. She hummed a soft "yes." "Didn't I say I was boiling eggs for you? Take it. Second brother, come over."
Li Jianjun watched the outcome of his older brother's test. Seeing that he hadn't received any punishment, he subconsciously swallowed.
He looked at the egg in the hand extended toward him.
Drool began to pool in his mouth.
When the warm egg was firmly in his grasp, he first looked toward his older brother.
He still couldn't quite believe that this woman would actually give them eggs to eat.
He didn't dare to move.
Li Jianguo, small as he was, had his own ideas. He didn't care if she was being genuine or not; he'd stuff it in his belly first. If she wanted him to spit it out later, there was no way.
He picked up the egg and began to peel it.
Seeing this, Li Jianjun followed his example and started peeling the shell.
Shen Ning also picked up an egg, tapped it, and began to peel.
Both older brothers had one, but Xiaohua didn't. Her big eyes, which had been filled with joyful anticipation, quickly turned to heartbreak. The change in emotion was so fast that tears were already welling up.
The two brothers noticed their sister didn't have one. They peeled their eggs, broke them in half, and prepared to hand a piece to their sister.
"You eat yours. You don't need to share with Xiaohua."
Plop. A small pearl of a tear fell from Xiaohua's eye.
Could it be true what those aunties and grandmas said, that Xiaohua was just a money-losing good?
Did adults all prefer boys?
Li Jianguo was the first to talk back. "I can't finish it. I'll give some to my sister."
Li Jianjun swallowed a mouthful of saliva and quickly chimed in, "I can't finish mine either."
Shen Ning looked at their greedy expressions and smiled, her lips curving.
Forget one egg; they could probably stuff down ten more.
"You can't even finish one? Then should I give you half next time?"
Just as the two boys were about to nod, they saw Shen Ning hand the peeled egg in her hand to Xiaohua.
"What are you crying for? Niang Niang said she was boiling eggs for you. Everyone gets one!"
She was a little girl, and so young. The egg was still hot. It was only natural to peel it for her!
[Ding! Xiaohua's favorability +1]
A smile touched the corners of Shen Ning's eyes and brows, spreading across her face and making the little child in front of her curve her lips as well.
"Thank you, Niang Niang."
What a sweet little darling~
She totally wasn't doing this just to farm favorability points!
Unlike those two little brats, who didn't even add a single point after being given eggs!
Her daughter was still the cutest. Even the way she ate an egg was so well-behaved! I want to squish her cheeks!
[Ding! Xiaohua's favorability +5]
What kind of angelic little cutie was this!
Giving her favorability points at the drop of a hat. She was going to love her to death!
Unlike those two little brats!
An incredibly mournful gaze flashed over the two boys who were busy devouring their food. The road ahead was long and arduous!
A certain someone felt a chill run through him. Li Jianguo shivered and looked up. The woman was at the stove, peeling the last egg.
Li Jianjun followed his gaze, but his eyes no longer held the same wariness as before. Instead, a small flame had been kindled.
It couldn't be helped. As the old saying goes, whoever provides is mother.
Spotting his younger brother's dazed look, Li Jianguo shot him a warning glare and urged in a low voice, "Hurry up and eat!"
It was both an urge and a warning.
Don't let your guard down around this wicked woman just because of a small favor. This was what she owed them. She had taken a lot of Dad's allowance!
[Ding! Li Jianjun's favorability +1]
When Shen Ning heard the system's notification, her eyes widened in surprise for a moment. Her peripheral vision caught the second brother stuffing the egg into his mouth.
A plan began to form in her mind.
He likes to eat?
A foodie?
Then he would be incredibly easy to win over!
At this moment, the three siblings, completely immersed in the deliciousness of the eggs, had no idea what a crazy culinary offensive awaited them.
After finishing her egg in a few bites, Shen Ning strode toward her room.
Although this house was dilapidated, it was the Li family's old house, so it still had a few rooms.
The largest room on the far left was, of course, occupied by the original owner. The middle was the main hall, and the slightly smaller room on the right, connected to the kitchen, was naturally where the three siblings lived.
The original owner was no saint, but she had saved Shen Ning some trouble. She was used to living alone and had never slept with children before.
As for the matter of separating the children into different rooms when they got older, that could be dealt with later.
What she needed to do now was open the mall and shop, shop, shop!
Although she only had eight points, it was better than nothing!
[User: Shen Ning, Redeemable Points: 8]
'Bring up the list of purchasable items. I'm going to do some serious shopping!'
[Product list compiled. You may scroll up and down to view!]