(Note: Madam Liu = Liu-shi)
….
Gu Nianzhi led Gu Nian’an at a light run, following her memory toward the back mountain.
The six-year-old little one didn’t ask why his sister had called him out—following her was all that mattered.
“Let’s rest for a bit. Big sister will take you to find something to eat.”
At the mention of food, little Gu Nian’an’s eyes lit up.
Grandma played favorites. Whenever there was something tasty, it all went to Uncle’s family. He had never once eaten his fill!
More than an hour later, the siblings reached the outer edge of the deep mountains. Staring at the lush, dense forest ahead, Gu Nian’an shuddered three times.
“Sis, Mom said there are big beasts inside. She told us not to go in.”
A few years ago, a hunter from the village had entered the deep mountains and returned with his leg bitten off by a tiger. Since then, no villagers dared to go inside, only digging wild vegetables on the outskirts.
“It’s fine. We’ll only go in a little. If there’s danger, we’ll run out right away.”
She had prohibited weapons in her spatial storage, and her own skills were far from weak. The abilities she’d honed during the apocalypse—moves meant to kill—might not be enough to face martial arts masters, but escaping through these woods would be no problem at all.
And so, Gu Nianzhi led a nervous Gu Nian’an slowly into the mountains.
Suddenly, a gray figure caught her attention.
She signaled Gu Nian’an to stay quiet, bent down, and picked up a stone about the size of a small bowl, then hurled it.
It hit the target—and killed it instantly!
Gu Nian’an froze in place.
His sister… had killed a rabbit with one stone?
Seeing the child’s stunned expression, Gu Nianzhi laughed.
She’d said it already—she had plenty of strength! And methods!
Throwing pebbles to hunt wasn’t her specialty, but brute force was. One punch and even a wild boar would think twice!
She stepped forward and picked up the rabbit.
“Come on. Let’s roast it.”
At the words “roast rabbit,” Gu Nian’an drooled disgracefully.
He had never eaten roast rabbit before.
Once, passing by a hunter’s house, he’d smelled it roasting. It was the most delicious smell he had ever known!
He immediately grabbed Gu Nianzhi’s hand, beaming.
“Sis, the rabbit smells amazing!”
By the fire, Gu Nian’an stared at the roasting rabbit, swallowing nonstop.
He was about to starve from craving!
“It’ll be ready soon.”
While cleaning the rabbit earlier, Gu Nianzhi had secretly rubbed on some seasoning from her spatial storage. Now the roast was golden, fragrant, and irresistible—even she was tempted to take a bite immediately.
Once it was done, she set the rabbit aside to cool before tearing off a leg for Gu Nian’an. She herself ate the meat slowly.
When she looked up, she saw Gu Nian’an nibbling the rabbit leg in tiny bites, afraid it would be gone too soon.
“There’s plenty. Eat as much as you want.”
Hearing that, Gu Nian’an let out a silly grin.
“I’ll eat a few bites and save the rest for Mom.”
Gu Nianzhi patted his little head.
“Not for Dad?”
The child shook his head vigorously.
“Can’t give it to Daddy! Daddy would give the meat to Grandma, and Grandma would beat us.”
Gu Nianzhi couldn’t help laughing.
The kid was clever—nothing like Gu Dachui and his wife.
“There’s another leg. You eat yours. Big sister will eat the meat. We’ll save that leg for Mom.”
Once Gu Nianzhi agreed to leave meat for Liu-shi, Gu Nian’an happily hugged the rabbit leg and gnawed away.
So delicious!
Being able to eat rabbit meat—by Grandpa’s words, even dying now would be worth it!
After eating, the siblings wrapped the remaining rabbit leg in leaves and went to the river to wash the grease off themselves.
“When you go home later, call Mom out for a moment.”
The smell of roast rabbit was strong. Eating inside the house would definitely be discovered, so Gu Nian’an had to bring Liu-shi outside.
At home, Liu-shi was absentmindedly mending old clothes.
She worried that the two children would be scolded or beaten by her mother-in-law tonight—and even more terrified that her daughter would be sold off to Landlord Liu as a concubine in a few days.
When her youngest son rushed into the room, Liu-shi hurried over, thinking something had happened.
“Mom, big sister’s outside digging wild vegetables. She wants you to help.”
Hearing that they hadn’t gathered enough wild vegetables, Liu-shi finally relaxed. She picked up a small hoe and went out.
By the river at the foot of the mountain, Gu Nianzhi heard Gu Nian’an’s excited voice from far away.
“Sis! Mom’s here to help dig wild vegetables!”
Wild vegetables?
Looks like the kid used that excuse to lure Liu-shi out—so the eldest household wouldn’t suspect them of secretly eating alone.
“Zhi’er, where’s the basket? I’ll start digging.”
Liu-shi looked around but didn’t see any basket.
“Mom, we’re not digging wild vegetables.”
As she spoke, Gu Nianzhi handed over the hidden roasted rabbit leg.
“You…?”
Liu-shi stared at the rabbit leg in shock.
Gu Nian’an hurriedly whispered into her ear.
“Big sister caught it in the mountains! One stone, one kill—she’s amazing!”
Gu Nianzhi: …
That description really wasn’t necessary.
It seriously damaged her image.
Hearing that the siblings had gone up the mountain, Liu-shi was startled.
“You didn’t go into the deep mountains, did you?”
The siblings exchanged a glance and shook their heads together.
Only then did Liu-shi relax.
“Good, good. The deep mountains have man-eating beasts. You must never go in.”
As she spoke, she split the rabbit leg in half and handed it back to the two children.
“You eat it. Mom has never liked meat.”
“We already ate! Big sister caught a huge one!”
Gu Nian’an patted his little belly in satisfaction.
“Mom, eat quickly. That old hag at home will start making trouble again soon.”
Hearing her daughter’s words, Liu-shi didn’t know what to say.
Though she also felt her mother-in-law was biased, she would never dare describe her that way. After all, she had married such a miserable man.
Liu-shi silently gnawed on the rabbit leg. The mother and children tacitly ignored Gu Dachui.
At dusk, the three returned home carrying a small bundle of wild vegetables. The moment they stepped inside, a basin of cold water was thrown at them.
“You lazy trash! You still know how to come back? Doing nothing all day, only digging a tiny handful of wild vegetables—why didn’t you just die outside?!”
Old Madam Gu held the basin and glared at them, finding them more and more unpleasant the longer she looked.
No.
She had to sell that little bitch Gu Nianzhi as soon as possible!
Out of sight, out of mind. One less mouth to see, one less irritation.
She planned to go to the landlord’s house tomorrow to ask when they would come take the girl away—saving her food sooner.
Now that five taels of silver were already in hand, Gu Nianzhi marrying Landlord Liu was, in Old Madam Gu’s eyes, a done deal. No one could change it.
Thinking this, Old Madam Gu sneered and went back to the kitchen.
Not long after, before the three could even return to their room, a shrill scream echoed through half the village.
“Ah!”
“Which cursed bastard stole my corn buns?!”
“Eldest household! Second household! Get out here!”
“Haven’t you eaten or what? Reborn starving ghosts? You even dare steal the two buns meant for the men of the house?!”
Old Madam Gu cursed loudly in the courtyard. Gu Tiezhu and his wife from the eldest household slowly walked out, while Liu-shi stood trembling at the doorway of the second household. Gu Nian’an clutched her sleeve, panic flooding his heart.
Before Old Madam Gu could interrogate them one by one, Gu Dachui walked out and dropped straight to his knees.
“Mom! It was the two kids who stole food! Please don’t be angry—I’ll scold them tonight!”
Hearing that Gu Nianzhi and her brother were the culprits, Old Madam Gu instantly exploded. She grabbed a broom nearby and swung it.
Liu-shi blocked the children. Gu Nianzhi scooped up Gu Nian’an and dodged.
Seeing them dare to dodge, Old Madam Gu beat even harder.
“Starving ghosts! I’ll beat you to death today!”
“You still dare dodge? Second son, look at the brats you raised—stealing food and still daring to run!”
“Mom! Please don’t be angry—I’ll grab them right now!”
Gu Dachui hurried to his feet to catch the siblings, but Gu Nianzhi dodged him again and again.
Seeing Gu Dachui being run in circles, Old Madam Gu grew furious and smashed the broom straight across his back.
“I raised you for all these years, and you can’t even control your wife and children. Utter trash.”
Gu Dachui lowered his head after being hit.
Staring at her dull, useless second son, Old Madam Gu shot the three women and children a vicious glare before returning to the kitchen.