Looking at the big jujubes and bird eggs that Old Madam Zhou had brought back, every member of the Zhou family was startled.
However, this hint of surprise quickly dissipated in their hearts, replaced by a joyful mood as they all happily came over to take jujubes to eat.
After all, over the past few days, too many bizarre occurrences had truly taken place.
So much so that the Zhou family members had grown somewhat accustomed to it.
Only Sun Pinghua alone was still slightly dazed.
How could it be such a coincidence? Just yesterday, her mother-in-law had privately mentioned to her that she wanted to eat jujubes, and they managed to encounter them right now?
Sun Pinghua glanced at Mianmian, who was resting in Old Madam Zhou’s arms, and could not help but recall that yesterday when the two of them were chatting about the jujubes, only Mianmian had heard them.
At this moment, Zhou Mianmian was still holding a big jujube in each hand, eating them with a perfectly calm composure.
Those small cheeks puffed out rhythmically as she ate, looking incredibly content.
She also leisurely waved her little hands, inviting her three brothers to come over and eat together, putting on the small mannerism of a host treating guests.
This caused a murmur of doubt to rise in Sun Pinghua’s heart, and she hastily looked toward Second Zhou.
“Hey, Second Zhou, tell me, our Mianmian—could she truly be a little fortune star?”
Otherwise, why was it that every time a miraculous encounter befell the Zhou family, it always had some connection to little Mianmian?
Although Old Madam Zhou had spoken such words before, Sun Pinghua had merely treated it as auspicious words spoken because her mother-in-law doted on her granddaughter too much, believing it was a joke that couldn’t be taken seriously.
Second Zhou had grabbed a large handful of jujubes and was eating without even raising his head.
“How would I know?”
“Don’t just focus on eating.” Sun Pinghua lowered her posture, crouching down to ask in a low voice, “Didn’t you tell me before that an old Daoist priest once visited our home years ago, saying that if the Zhou family obtained a daughter, they would see wealth? Tell me about it again.”
Second Zhou chewed his jujube listlessly, “That was how many years ago? I don’t remember.”
“Then what can you remember? You only remember eating!” Sun Pinghua pushed him reproachfully.
But indeed, too much time had passed, so Second Zhou truly couldn’t remember the details clearly.
All he knew was that ever since that old Daoist priest left, the Zhou family had yearned every single day to give birth to a daughter.
Unfortunately, their wish was never granted, and the family had remained poor all along.
It wasn’t until Third Zhou’s wife finally held her head high and won honor that the Zhou family finally obtained a baby girl.
This single girl was something the Zhou family had yearned for throughout a full five generations before finally receiving her.
Since then, the massive boulder weighing upon the hearts of the Zhou family had finally vanished.
Second Zhou listlessly cast a glance toward Mianmian’s side. He didn’t know whether this girl would truly allow the Zhou family to reap both good fortune and wealth.
However, if it truly could happen, it would be a good thing; he could ride on her coattails as well.
At this moment, Old Madam Zhou called out to her second daughter-in-law, “Second’s wife, what are you two whispering about over there? Come over and lend me a hand to boil a few bird eggs for Mianmian to eat on the road.”
Sun Pinghua quickly responded and went over to help.
“I was just saying to Second Zhou that our Mianmian is blessed,” Sun Pinghua said, rolling up her sleeves to please her mother-in-law.
Hearing this made Old Madam Zhou feel deeply gratified, and the smile on her face deepened further.
“Not only is she blessed, but she also knew you wanted to eat big red jujubes, so she brought these jujubes over. She is truly a filial and good child.” Seeing that her mother-in-law loved to hear it, Sun Pinghua couldn’t resist praising her a few more times.
These words truly hit Old Madam Zhou right in her heart.
A hint of moisture appeared within Old Madam Zhou’s murky eyes, and her hand holding the red jujubes trembled slightly.
Fleeing home for so long, this old woman had been yearning for the big jujube tree back home. Being able to eat big red jujubes now made her even happier than being allowed to eat meat herself.
For the jujubes to be brought over now—wasn’t this meant to show filial piety to Grandma? Mianmian truly was her good, sweet granddaughter!
With red eyes, Old Madam Zhou scooped the boiled bird eggs out of the pot.
She then peeled off the shells, wrapped them inside a piece of clean cotton cloth, and tucked them into Third Zhou’s pocket.
When it came time to set off, Old Madam Zhou was still uneasy and repeatedly instructed her third son.
“Third Zhou, Mianmian is still small and easily gets hungry. Keep an eye on her in a bit. If she licks her little lips, you take out a bird egg and give it to her to eat.”
“Did you hear me? You are not allowed to be stingy!”
Old Madam Zhou had calculated that they had obtained twenty-four bird eggs in total this time.
It was enough for her sweet granddaughter to eat for quite a few days.
These were all part of Mianmian’s own separate meal, and they had to be reserved solely for her to eat. She could eat her fill, and they could not disadvantage this sweet darling!
Third Zhou nodded obediently, “Don’t worry, Mother. How could I disadvantage Mianmian? Whenever she wants to eat, I’ll give it to her.”
Thus, along this journey, Zhou Mianmian rested upon Third Zhou’s back, doing nothing but sleeping and eating.
Her little mouth was not yet very deft at eating, dropping egg yolk crumbs all over Third Zhou’s shoulders.
After three bird eggs had gone down her stomach, Zhou Mianmian licked the corners of her mouth unsatisfactorily, opened that piece of cotton cloth, and took out another one.
The round bird egg was nearly as large as a chicken egg. Zhou Mianmian’s hands were too small, making her somewhat unable to hold it securely.
Seeing that the bird egg was about to fall, Zhou Mianmian frowned in anxiety.
She could only hurriedly press her mouth forward, firmly catching the bird egg with her teeth.
Following that, she bit off a massive mouthful.
The egg white and egg yolk were chewed together in her little mouth, and she ate with an incredible aroma.
Second Zhou, Third Zhou, and Fourth Zhou, who were all walking along while holding onto Third Zhou’s coat hem, caught the aroma of the egg, and every single one of them was so greedy they were about to salivate.
Second Zhou was a bit older and could barely restrain himself, doing his best not to look.
But it was difficult for Third Zhou and Fourth Zhou.
Particularly that Fourth Zhou; he constantly tilted his neck to sneak a peek at that bird egg.
The bird egg appeared massive in his sister’s hands; the egg white was smooth and delicate, and the egg yolk was golden-yellow, looking incredibly aromatic!
Fourth Zhou stared with yearning eyes, occasionally sticking out his tongue.
He was just hoping his sister might drop a few crumbs of egg yolk so he could catch them in his mouth.
However, greedy as they were, none of these three little fellows even entertained the thought that they could truly have a bite of the bird egg. After all, that was their sister’s own food.
As her older brothers, they could never bear to compete with their sister for food.
Having finished most of a whole bird egg, Zhou Mianmian let out a small milky burp and steadied her breath.
Only now did she notice that Fourth Zhou was still opening his mouth to catch the egg crumbs…
Zhou Mianmian’s little face froze.
Blinking her large eyes that looked like grapes a couple of times, she looked at Fourth Zhou, and then at Second Zhou and Third Zhou.
She instantly understood.
Her three brothers were also children; how could they not be greedy?
They were all good to Mianmian, so Mianmian couldn’t disadvantage them either.
Thus, Zhou Mianmian grinned widely and waved her little hands at the three of them.
When Second Zhou looked up, he saw his sister flashing a mouthful of tiny white teeth, her fair little hand patting her chest as if she were promising something.
Second Zhou didn’t understand her meaning, but he still couldn’t resist wanting to smile at his sister.
“Hold on tightly to Father’s neck quickly, don’t fall.” Second Zhou was currently very tense over Mianmian.
Zhou Mianmian nodded her head, turned back, and continued to rest tightly upon Third Zhou’s back, closing her eyes.
She went back into the spiritual pool to move things again…
…
After walking for more than half the day, Third Zhou was leading the fellow villagers across a stone bridge.
Right then, a massive mansion appeared before their eyes. Although it had long been abandoned and empty, there was still a pair of majestic and solemn stone lions guarding the entrance.
It wasn’t unusual for such a large mansion to appear here. Third Zhou recalled hearing from the government soldier before that this region used to be a salt production and mineral mining area, and imperial special envoys were frequently stationed here.
Therefore, there would be several large mansions nearby, which were the residences of those officials.
The group gradually grew rowdy, as the fellow villagers all wanted to go inside that mansion to take a look.
“I have never entered such a large mansion before.”
“The people who used to live inside here were all officials; maybe some treasures are still left behind!”
“Once we pick up a gold hairpin or jade bracelet, won’t we become wealthy?!”
Seeing that everyone wanted to burst inside to look for things, Third Zhou found it difficult to go against the crowd’s wishes.
Thus, he halted his pace, “Then let us rest here for a while. We will resume our journey once we’ve rested enough.”