Honestly speaking, the third son’s family really had good food. The braised pork ribs were cooked until tender and practically melted in the mouth. The chive omelet smelled amazing, not to mention how delicious it tasted.
Father Yi and Mother Yi swept through the meal like a whirlwind, quickly finishing their bowls of white rice and more than half the dishes.
Seeing their bowls empty, Li Tingyun hurriedly said, “Father, Mother, there’s still rice left in the pot.”
“No need, no need,” Father Yi waved his hand. “One bowl is enough to fill me up.”
“So quickly?” Li Tingyun was puzzled. People in this era shouldn’t have such small appetites, especially after working all day. How could they be full after eating so little?
“We’re full, we’re full,” Mother Yi also set down her bowl. Following Father Yi’s example, she ladled herself another bowl of rich, fragrant chicken soup and said, “We’re old now. We can’t eat that much anymore.”
The truth was that white rice was precious. At home, she and her husband mostly ate coarse grains.
In just this short while, they had already eaten so much white rice at their third son’s house. It felt too wasteful.
Father Yi was clearly thinking the same thing. The two of them had only eaten until they were half full.
Li Tingyun had never experienced true hunger before, so hearing them say that, she didn’t think much of it and only urged them to drink more soup.
Mother Yi ate quickly. After setting down her soup bowl, she took Third Baby into her arms so Li Tingyun could eat in peace.
As she played with the child, she secretly glanced at Li Tingyun.
The third son’s wife truly deserved to be called a city-bred educated youth. Even the way she ate looked refined and graceful, nothing like country people like them, who wolfed food down.
“Mom, I’m done eating,” Eldest Baby pointed at the chicken soup and said, “I want some soup.”
Second Baby chimed in, “Mom, I want soup too.”
While serving soup for Eldest Baby, Li Tingyun glanced at Second Baby’s bowl and saw that there was still almost half a bowl of rice left. Worried that eating soup with unfinished rice might upset his stomach, she said, “Second Baby, finish your rice before drinking soup. Eldest Baby, be careful, it’s hot.”
She placed some chicken soup and a chicken drumstick into Eldest Baby’s bowl. After a moment’s thought, she said, “Father, Mother, I want to give the children proper names.”
When she married Yi Yang, it had never been by her own choice, and having these children had been even less what she wanted.
As for why the original Li Tingyun had still been willing to bear so many children despite her unwillingness, Li Tingyun herself had no idea.
Because the original owner disliked the Yi family, disliked Yi Yang, and even disliked the children she had given birth to.
So she never intended to name them properly. Even when Yi Yang—their own father—wanted to give them names, she had firmly refused.
Over time, the relationship between husband and wife had only grown more strained. When news of Yi Yang’s death arrived, the original owner had first felt relieved, then immediately contacted her childhood sweetheart, planning to return to the city together.
She had never once considered what would happen to the children.
But those were the original owner’s thoughts. As for Li Tingyun herself, she didn’t want the children to keep being called “Eldest Baby,” “Second Baby,” and “Third Baby.”
Too many rural children had nicknames like that.
Father Yi pondered for a moment and glanced at Li Tingyun, seeming surprised that she would suddenly bring this up.
After all, she had personally insisted before that the children didn’t need names.
Still, it was a good thing that she was willing to change now.
Father Yi nodded, and Mother Yi was even more eager for it.
How could children not have proper names? Calling them Eldest Baby and Second Baby all the time made them impossible to distinguish.
“Have you thought of any names yet?” Mother Yi asked.
Li Tingyun shook her head. “Not yet.”
The idea had only occurred to her moments ago, so she hadn’t had time to think of names.
Father Yi said, “You’re an educated youth. You’ve studied more than us. You should choose the names—make them sound nice.”
Although she had already planned to name them herself, in this era names were usually chosen by the elders, so Li Tingyun was still surprised by Father Yi’s words.
“Alright,” she nodded with a smile. “Once I’ve decided on the names, I’ll tell you both.”
After the meal, Father Yi and Mother Yi prepared to head home.
Li Tingyun took Third Baby back into her arms and walked them to the door.
Before leaving, Mother Yi turned back and said to her, “Xiaoyun, it’s good that you’ve come to terms with things. Yi Yang is gone, and we’re heartbroken too. But there are still children to raise. We old folks will help support you more. Live your life well. Once the children grow up, things will get better.”
Li Tingyun answered with a simple “Okay,” without refusing.
After all, she was now just a woman raising three children alone, one of whom was still nursing. She couldn’t work in the fields, and aside from the compensation money, she had no income at all.
But inside her spatial storage, she had plenty of supplies—anything she could possibly need. She would never lack food or clothing.
Of course, no one else knew that. If she refused Father Yi and Mother Yi’s help, it would only arouse suspicion.
Anyway, whatever Mother Yi brought over later, she could always send back things of equal value.
Once Father Yi and Mother Yi had walked far away, Li Tingyun shut the front gate.
It was early autumn, so the sun set late.
Even after dinner, the sun had only just dipped below the horizon.
Eldest Baby and Second Baby had obviously overeaten. Both were sprawled across the chairs, rubbing their bellies.
The moment Li Tingyun came in and saw the scene, she almost laughed.
“Why did you eat so much?” she scolded lightly. “It’s not like there won’t be food for the next meal. Now look at you—stuffed yourselves silly.”
“Mom, I’ve never eaten such delicious food before,” Second Baby said with a grin. “I was scared that tomorrow we’d have nothing to eat again and go hungry.”
Eldest Baby also said, “Mom, today feels so happy. We got new clothes, delicious food, and Mom is so gentle. It feels like a dream.”
Li Tingyun pinched Eldest Baby’s little cheek and asked, “Does it hurt? Does it still feel like a dream now?”
She hadn’t pinched hard. Eldest Baby rubbed his face against her palm and said obediently, “It doesn’t hurt at all. Mom is the best.”
“Mom is the best! Mom is the best!” Second Baby echoed loudly.
Looking at the children, Li Tingyun felt her heart melt completely.
The two children had eaten far too much that evening, and she worried they might get indigestion. After all, they rarely ate meat before, and suddenly consuming such rich food might upset their stomachs.
So she took children’s digestive tablets from her storage space and gave one each to Eldest Baby and Second Baby.
“Mom, what’s this?” Eldest Baby asked curiously as he accepted the tablet.
Second Baby had already stuffed his into his mouth. While chewing, he said, “Sis, this tastes good!”
Eldest Baby followed suit and ate his too, though the flavor felt strange—different from the candy they’d eaten earlier.
After they finished, Li Tingyun took out two cups from her space, one pink and one blue, and made each child a cup of hawthorn water.
Holding the brownish hawthorn drink, Eldest Baby took a sip, smacked his lips, frowned, and said, “Mom, why is this water so sour?”