Xiang Meimei was growing tired. Shen Yaozong supported her, letting her rest whenever she needed.
“There’s a cave up ahead. Let’s rest there!” the lead official suddenly shouted.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and quickened their pace.
The cave was large and dry, with traces of old campfires from previous travelers.
The officials lit a fire, and everyone gathered around it.
Shen Shuangshuang chose a corner, laid out bedding for Xiang Meimei to sit and rest, and set up a simple stove to boil some water.
“Shuangshuang, I’ll help you.”
Lu Xuening came over, carrying some dry kindling.
“My mother woke up and told me to thank you. She said if there’s anything I can help with, I should.”
“No need. I can handle this myself,” Shen Shuangshuang said. “You should go back and take care of your mother.”
“My mother is fine. She wants me to help you.”
Lu Xuening placed the kindling on the ground and picked up some stones to help Shen Shuangshuang set up the stove.
Shen Shuangshuang no longer refused. Together, they quickly set up the stove.
Shen Shuangshuang took clean water from her space, poured it into the pot, and lit the kindling. Soon, the water boiled.
She poured a cup of hot water for Xiang Meimei and one for Shen Yaozong.
Lu Xuening looked at the coarse ceramic bowls in their hands with envy. She and Lu Zhenzhen didn’t even have proper bowls and could only drink water with their hands.
Shen Shuangshuang noticed and took two coarse ceramic bowls from her cart, handing them to Lu Xuening. “Here, you can use these from now on.”
Lu Xuening shook her head. “No, these are too valuable. I can’t take them.”
“Take them. I have plenty more,” Shen Shuangshuang insisted. “They’re not worth much, so don’t be shy.”
Lu Xuening was moved to tears, repeatedly thanking Shen Shuangshuang before running back to her mother with the bowls.
Lu Zhenzhen was surprised and felt guilty when she learned the bowls were a gift from Shen Shuangshuang.
“I didn’t expect her to be so kind,” Lu Zhenzhen said to Lu Xuening. “I was wrong before and shouldn’t have targeted her and her mother. Learn from her—be kind.”
Lu Xuening nodded. “I understand, mother.”
That night, everyone slept around the campfire.
Shen Shuangshuang let Xiang Meimei and Shen Yaozong rest on the bedding, while she stayed nearby.
She feared someone would try to steal supplies during the night, especially the eldest branch.
Late at night, wind blew into the cave, making the fire crackle.
As Shen Shuangshuang leaned against the cold stone wall and was about to close her eyes, she heard faint footsteps—like sneaky mice—approaching.
Her heart tightened. She opened her eyes and, using the firelight, saw three shadows creeping toward Xiang Meimei: Shen Jiaojiao, Zhang, and Lady Zhou.
Xiang Meimei, lightly pregnant, slept lightly and nudged Shen Shuangshuang.
Shen Shuangshuang squeezed her hand to signal silence, then slowly sat up and yawned, speaking loudly enough for the intruders to hear: “Father, are you thirsty? I’ll pour you some water.”
Zhang shivered, nearly tripping over a stone.
Lady Zhou pressed her down, whispering, “Don’t panic! She didn’t see us.”
Shen Jiaojiao’s legs wobbled. She tried to flee, but Zhang grabbed her.
“Didn’t see us? Then why are you standing there?”
Shen Shuangshuang stood, grabbing a nearby firewood stick.
“Were you hoping to find silver on my mother, or did you think our branch is easy to bully, even while sleeping?”
Her shout woke several people in the cave, who rubbed their eyes and watched.
Lady Zhou, flustered, straightened her back. “You’re talking nonsense! We were just… passing by to get some water!”
“Passing by?” Shen Shuangshuang sneered, stabbing the stick into the ground. “Passing by requires tiptoeing and covering your mouths? Passing by means staring at my mother’s clothes? No, you tried to steal from us during the day and now you’re sneaking in at night!”
Xiang Meimei sat up, wrapping herself in the bedding to protect her belly. “Sisters-in-law, aunts, we’re all suffering here. I’m pregnant; it’s already hard enough. How can you be so calculating? One flatbread Shuangshuang gave you during the day can’t buy a bit of conscience?”
Zhang became desperate, pointing at Shen Shuangshuang. “You little brat! Who said we were stealing? We just… wanted to cover her up while she slept!”
“Cover her with a bundle?”
Shen Shuangshuang spotted a small bundle at Zhang’s waist.
“What’s in it? Needles or thread? Planning to prick my mother if you can’t find silver?”
The others whispered: “The eldest branch is too despicable. Didn’t manage to steal during the day, now sneaking at night.”
“The third branch girl is pregnant! What if she’s startled?”
“They’re all family—how can they be so cruel?”
Shen Jiaojiao, flushed with shame, ran back to the eldest branch, shouting, “I didn’t steal! Grandma and mother made me!”
Zhang stamped her feet. “You useless thing!”
Before she could chase, Shen Shuangshuang blocked her.
“Trying to leave?”
Shen Shuangshuang stood firm. “We need to settle this. Admit you came to steal and apologize to my mother, and it’s over. Don’t admit it, and I’ll call the officials. Exiled prisoners sneaking into someone else’s quarters with intent to steal—what’s the punishment?”
Lady Zhou, fearing the officials, went weak at the knees. She dragged Zhang back. “Apologize? We’re leaving!”
They scrambled back to the eldest branch’s corner without daring to look back.
Shen Shuangshuang watched them go, chest tight with anger, throwing down the stick. “I might as well have let them starve. Feeding them was pointless!”
Xiang Meimei coaxed her down. “Calm down. Don’t waste energy on them. From now on, we’ll take turns keeping watch so they can’t take advantage.”
Shen Yaozong woke and said firmly, “I’ll keep the first half of the night, Shuangshuang the second. Your body is precious; you can’t stay up.”
Shen Shuangshuang stayed awake by the fire until dawn.
Early the next morning, the officials blew their whistles to get everyone moving. Just after leaving the cave, they saw two officials carrying a wooden box. On top were a few white steamed buns, the aroma drifting far ahead.