Lin Yuming didn't offer any explanation either. She peeled one and put it in her mouth—the milky flavor instantly soothed her previously unpleasant mood! Then she called out to Dabao.
"You and your sister each get two. Don't eat too many; kids will ruin their teeth if they overeat."
But Dabao remained standing where he was, looking at Yuchi Yan.
Yuchi Yan beckoned to Dabao—he had checked, and this thing wasn't poisonous!
Actually, Lin Yuming didn't blame him, because the year Dabao was born, the original host had genuinely tried to poison him!
What a sin!
"You two go out now. Come back later for dinner." Lin Yuming then shooed the two little ones out the door. Dabao grabbed Xiaoya and left! Xiaoya still clutched the cheese sticks tightly in her hand!
Just then, the kitchen door closed.
The light around them was almost entirely blocked by the man as Yuchi Yan slowly approached the woman before him. His gaze was sharp and dangerous: "What exactly are you trying to do?"
"What am I trying to do? Can't I care for my own children?" Lin Yuming said coldly.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the cramped room grew even more tense!
Yuchi Yan looked up, his eyes meeting Lin Yuming's. There was no trace of emotion in his expression: "No matter what you're scheming, don't even think about selling them! I'll find a way to get money!"
Lin Yuming frowned. Even with Lin Yu'er in this state, this man was still thinking about earning money to support the family?
What a good man!
Seeing this, she couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh.
"I told you, it was just angry words!"
Lin Yuming took a deep breath: "All these years, I was the one who couldn't let go. In our interactions, we've both been making things difficult for each other. I've come to realize I shouldn't blame the children!"
"I'm willing to take care of the children now—I just don't want anything to do with you!"
Yuchi Yan clenched his fists tightly. After a long pause, he finally uttered a sentence.
"Then I hope you keep your word."
With that, he turned and walked out!
In this era, women could only rely on their husbands' families. Moreover, for Lin Yuming, this man wasn't exactly dislikeable—in fact, she even felt some goodwill toward him. Until she figured out the matter of the Space-Time Rift, she didn't mind maintaining a respectful distance with him. Later, if he wanted to take a wife or concubines, Lin Yuming would have no objections either.
Thinking about the items in the cargo hold, some of the overly modern snacks wouldn't be suitable for selling.
But she could try her luck with various milk candies and fruit candies.
At the moment, there was only malt sugar here, which had a single flavor. Doing business was all about novelty for customers and meeting their needs. Plus, with the various delicacies the System was about to unlock…
At this thought, Lin Yuming once again caught a whiff of the foul odor emanating from herself!
No! She had to fetch water and take a bath before eating, or she'd definitely be sickened by the smell!
…
Meanwhile, in the courtyard.
Xiaoya sat on a stone stool, holding four cheese sticks in her hand. She carefully took a bite!
The soft, chewy, and smooth texture, like tofu, combined with the rich, sweet milky flavor, instantly made Xiaoya's eyes light up. She looked at Dabao beside her: "Brother! Try one! It's so delicious!"
"No!"
"Really! It's super, super delicious—even better than the candy from the village chief's house!"
The only child in the village who got to eat candy was Zhang Erni from the village chief's family! Zhang Erni liked Xiaoya a lot, so whenever she had candy, she'd let Xiaoya have a couple of licks! But only a couple—no more than that!
Although Dabao's expression was icy, he was still a child at heart.
"Is it really that delicious?" he asked.
"Really, brother, try it!" Xiaoya directly stuffed the cheese stick into Dabao's mouth!
As the cheese melted in his mouth, the heaviness in Dabao's heart completely disappeared. He swallowed the sweetness and said, "It is delicious, Xiaoya, hurry up and eat!"
"Let's eat together!" Xiaoya insisted on sharing another one with Dabao!
The two children playfully pushed and shoved in the yard, and Yin Chiyan, watching from the side, softened his gaze slightly.
As long as that woman could do as she said and treat the children better, he could endure it.
…
After washing the bowls and chopsticks three times, she finally placed them on the table. It wasn’t that Lin Yuming was being overly fussy, but some of the dishes in the cupboard had even grown mold, and she simply couldn’t bring herself to eat from them!
She filled the bowls with thick white porridge, took out some pickled vegetables, and paired them with glistening, savory braised pork. The aroma instantly wafted for miles.
Yin Chiyan pushed the door open and walked in, completely stunned by the sight before him!
The woman seemed to have just bathed, no longer as filthy as before. Though her clothes were still patched, a faint, refreshing scent lingered around her. Her face was familiar, but the sharp, mean-spirited aura she once had was now completely gone.
"Call the children to eat," Lin Yuming said.
Her voice carried an air of authority, even without anger.
Soon, the children took their seats one by one. Xiaoya seemed a little uneasy—it was her first time sitting at the table for a meal and her first time seeing such a large plate of meat!
"Eat up," Lin Yuming said, serving both children a bowl of braised pork as she had promised, then began eating herself.
The meat melted in their mouths—rich but not greasy, savory and slightly sweet. The two children immediately began devouring it, and for a while, no one spoke at the table. Once they were full, Lin Yuming sent the children out to boil water.
She was going to give these two a proper bath.
The original owner had never cared for them, and this man had no idea how to look after children, leaving them to become two little mud monkeys.
After giving her instructions, Lin Yuming turned around and met Yin Chiyan's probing gaze.
"Who are you, really?" he suddenly asked.
Lin Yuming instantly furrowed her brows, then curled the corners of her lips. "What, wasn’t I clear enough? I’ve just come to my senses."
He reached out, grabbed Lin Yuming's shoulders, and examined her closely.
She was the same person, yet something felt entirely off. Could she really have had a change of heart?
"What are you doing? Let go!" Lin Yuming slapped at the man's hand, but he tightened his grip. Meeting his deep, penetrating gaze, her heart couldn’t help but beat faster.
"Are you wondering why, even though I’ve come to my senses, I’m still like this with you?" Lin Yuming’s mind raced, and the words spilled out. "We’ve been together for seven years. Forget how other husbands treat their wives with affection—you’ve never even spoken gently to me."
"I was forced into marrying you in the first place!"
Hearing this, Yin Chiyan’s heart clenched, and his grip loosened slightly.
"But what’s done is done, and there’s nothing more to say. Besides, in these seven years, you’ve never once shared anything about yourself with me, never been honest. I don’t trust you, and I feel no sense of security! Even if you’ve taken care of the children and this home, you’ve never met my emotional needs!"
In short, Lin Yuming had perfectly portrayed the unreasonable and willful demeanor of a petty woman!
However, what she said was also true. If Yin Chiyan had been more articulate and gentler toward Lin Yu'er, the two might not have ended up in this situation! To put it bluntly, it was simply a matter of incompatible personalities.
But this had nothing to do with her—she had no intention of enduring grievances on behalf of the original owner, so it was better to clarify certain things upfront.
"Sorry," Yin Chiyan looked at her. "I hadn't considered these things."
He truly didn't understand how to treat a woman well and had never put his mind to it.
"So, when I treat you poorly, don't blame me entirely. Both of us are at fault." Lin Yuming took a deep breath. "Anyway, from now on, I'll try my best to control my temper and won't hit or scold you or the children anymore."
"When they're a bit healthier, I'll think about starting a business to help support the family. You should also stop going into the mountains so often—it's dangerous there, with wild beasts lurking."