Madam Miao wanted to put on a good show in front of Old Madam Wang, so she headed straight for Xia Wanyue’s room.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Yue Niang, are you up yet? Hurry up! The whole family’s waiting for you to cook!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Yue Niang, get up already! Who hasn’t given birth before? Who acts like you? Look at the time—still sleeping!” Madam Miao’s voice grew louder and louder.
“You useless little wench, are you deaf? Can’t you hear me? Get up and cook, right now!”
“You shameless slut! If it weren’t for your greedy mouth, my son wouldn’t have died in those mountains! My son’s barely gone and you’re already showing your true colors—how dare you lie around and not cook! Get up!”
The knocking grew more violent. The rotting wooden door rattled under the blows, as if the whole house might collapse with one more hit.
“Waaah—waaah—”
The sudden noise startled the baby on the bed awake.
Having been fed, the child’s cries were much louder than the night before.
Xia Wanyue rubbed her temples and abruptly sat up.
She gently patted the baby, picked him up, and fed him again.
Once he was full, she laid him back on the bed.
Then she strode off the bed, walked to the door, and yanked it open.
Old Madam Wang, who had been leaning forward, nearly stumbled straight into the room.
She grabbed the doorframe just in time to steady herself.
“Trying to kill me? You don’t even warn anyone before opening the door? You almost made me fall!”
Madam Miao quickly supported Old Madam Wang and frowned at Xia Wanyue in disapproval.
“Yue Niang, what are you doing? If Mother had fallen, what then? She worries about this whole family and still has to come wake you up early in the morning. Not only are you ungrateful, you nearly caused her to fall.”
“That’s right!” a voice chimed in. “Second Sister-in-law, don’t you see what time it is? Sleeping in at this hour—what daughter-in-law is as lazy as you?
“And be careful next time. Don’t knock Mother down. She’s old—one fall could be disastrous!”
“Mother, are you okay? Are you hurt? Should I call a doctor to take a look?”
At some point, Xiao Li had opened her door and was leaning against the frame, watching the commotion.
Seeing Madam Miao eagerly currying favor with Old Madam Wang, she immediately stepped forward, bumping Madam Miao aside with her hip.
She took Old Madam Wang’s arm and fussed over her with a worried expression, one that Old Madam Wang found extremely pleasing.
Hearing her youngest daughter-in-law’s concern, Old Madam Wang’s anger eased slightly.
She gently patted Xiao Li’s hand.
“I’m fine.”
Then she turned back to Xia Wanyue, her voice turning cold again.
“What are you standing there for? Get lost and cook! Are you waiting for me to serve you? Useless thing.”
Watching them sing in perfect harmony, Xia Wanyue almost laughed from anger.
She nodded.
“Alright. I’ll cook.”
As soon as Xia Wanyue spoke, Xiao Li quickly helped Old Madam Wang back toward her room.
As she passed Madam Miao, she shot her a smug look, bumped her aside with her shoulder, and swayed away triumphantly.
Madam Miao staggered, nearly falling.
She gritted her teeth and glared viciously at Xiao Li’s back, looking as if she wanted to bite a chunk out of her.
Xia Wanyue only glanced at Madam Miao once before turning away, closing the door, and heading to the kitchen.
In the kitchen sat a bowl of millet and two sweet potatoes.
The water jar was completely empty.
Heh.So they were waiting for her to fetch water first, then come back and cook?
Madam Miao peeked into the kitchen doorway, then grabbed a broom and began sweeping the courtyard.
Xia Wanyue picked up a small bucket and went outside.
Early morning in the countryside was especially fresh. The air still carried a hint of heat. She glanced at the sky—another blazing day.
She quickly reached the well and drew half a bucket of water. She had just given birth and couldn’t do heavy labor, much less carry a full bucket.
Back in the kitchen, she started cooking.
Then she went to the woodshed to fetch firewood—only to see the twins curled up together, asleep on a pile of straw.
“Mother?”
Hearing movement, Li Ning opened his eyes.
The moment he saw Xia Wanyue, he instinctively called out.
“Why are you here?” Xia Wanyue asked.
The six-year-old’s eyes instantly filled with tears, which fell drop by drop.
After Xia Wanyue had fainted yesterday, they had gone up the mountain to see their father off. When they returned, Grandma had beaten them, calling them freeloaders and saying they’d brought death upon their father.
When they kept crying, Grandma found them an eyesore, locked them in the woodshed, and didn’t allow them any food.
Crack!
Xia Wanyue’s anger surged to its peak. The firewood in her hand snapped in two.
She looked down at her hand.Had her strength come with her as well?
She let out a soft laugh and looked at Li Ning.
“Take your sister back to Mother’s room. Close the door. Don’t open it for anyone except Mother.”
Xia Wanyue carried the firewood back to the kitchen.
Seeing the two children return to their room, Madam Miao said nothing, pretending not to notice.
It wasn’t that she was cruel—people were selfish by nature.
She had to look after her own family first.
Once the meal was ready, Xia Wanyue filled two large bowls to the brim and carried them back to her room.
Madam Miao froze when she saw this.
She glanced toward Old Madam Wang’s room, opened her mouth, then hesitated.
Bang!
Xia Wanyue slammed the door shut and propped it closed with a stick.
“Mother!”
The two little ones jumped to their feet when she entered.
“Mother, little brother is very good. He’s sleeping—we took good care of him.”
Xia Wanyue set the bowls on the cabinet and gently patted their heads.
“Good children. Take your sister and eat.”
Li Ning held Li Third Girl’s hand and walked over. Two large bowls of thick, steaming porridge sat on the cabinet.
They had never seen food like this.
Before, they only ate after everyone else had finished—whatever scraps were left mixed with a ladle of water.
They had never eaten porridge this thick.
“Mother… this…”
“Mother, Grandma will be angry, won’t she?” Li Third Girl trembled at the thought of Grandma beating people.
Xia Wanyue forced a gentle smile.
“Eat. Mother will handle it.”
The two children looked at each other, their hearts pounding.
They swallowed hard. Hunger won in the end—the smell was irresistible.
Li Third Girl tugged on her brother’s sleeve and stared at the bowls.
“Brother… can we eat?”
She was so hungry she had no strength left, her body light and unsteady, relying entirely on her brother to hold her up.
Li Ning looked at his sister’s pale face, clenched his teeth, and nodded.
“Eat.”
At his words, Li Third Girl cradled the bowl and began eating in big mouthfuls.
It was so fragrant. The sweetness of the sweet potato mixed into the porridge—it was the best food she had ever eaten in her life.
Tears spilled uncontrollably, dropping one by one like pearls into the bowl.