“Don’t be so anxious. Your leg injury isn’t a big deal. You’ll be able to walk after some time. Even if you can’t, don’t you still have me?”
“In this life, aside from life and death, nothing else truly matters. Living happily is more important than anything.” With her body and the spiritual spring water, how could it not heal?
Without hesitation, Lu Miaomiao directly lifted the somewhat gloomy Xiao Bi’an into a princess carry. Under the shocked gazes of everyone present, she effortlessly carried him to the stone bench under the big tree and sat him down.
“Why are you all looking at me like that? I’ve got plenty of strength—I could carry two of you easily,” she said casually.
“Have you always been this strong since you were a child?”
“I didn’t expect not only your skills but also your strength to be this impressive.”
“With this strength, it’d be a waste not to join the military! Have you ever considered it? I could help you get in…” Xiao Bi’an, forgetting his earlier gloom and the embarrassment of being carried by his wife, was instead amazed by her strength.
“I don’t want to join the military. Too tiring. I just want to slack off and live a lazy life!” Lu Miaomiao immediately cut off his fantasy, pouring cold water over his enthusiasm.
“…Ah, that’s such a pity. You really don’t want to reconsider? The military has very good benefits…” he tried again.
“I am your wife—don’t use recruitment tactics on me! I don’t want to suffer or work myself to death. My ideological awareness isn’t that high. Let’s stop this topic right here!”
“Also, my background isn’t exactly clean. The military wouldn’t accept me anyway. I’ll talk to you about my family situation later; I’ll need your help with it too,” she warned, giving him a sideways glance.
“Alright, alright. I got too excited and went out of line,” Xiao Bi’an scratched his head awkwardly, showing a rare youthful, slightly foolish smile.
He was used to recruiting talented people for the country whenever he saw them.
“Dinner’s ready! Move aside, don’t burn yourselves!” Dogdan shouted as he carried a large steaming pot of soup over.
Xiao Xiaocao brought bowls and chopsticks. Sister-in-law Liu Guilan carried a basin of cold mixed wild vegetables, while Mother-in-law Niu Cuihua brought out a dark, rough-looking dish—likely cornmeal buns.
Seeing the meal, Lu Miaomiao fell silent.
Her expectations had been too high—she had forgotten how poor this era really was.
Tomorrow, she definitely had to go hunting and get some fresh meat, and also take out some rice and flour.
Even in her years of begging in her past life, she had never eaten such rough food. And after forming her own small gang later, life had only gotten better.
“I’ll distribute the food,” Liu Guilan said quickly when everything was set, rushing out without even washing her hands.
“Go wash your face and hands,” Lu Miaomiao said with obvious disgust at the dirty mother and son trio.
“Alright, alright, we’ll go wash up right away,” Liu Guilan replied with a forced smile, though inwardly she cursed Lu Miaomiao for being overly picky.
When everyone finally sat down, it was already dark—they had to eat in the dim light.
In front of Lu Miaomiao was the thickest bowl of porridge, while everyone else—except Liu Guilan and her son Xiao Zhenguo—had watery porridge so thin you could see through it.
Each man had two corn buns; Xiao Bi’an only had one. Women had one each, while the three girls and Dogdan had half a bun. However, Liu Guilan, trying to curry favor with Lu Miaomiao, gave her two buns.
Wild vegetables were free to eat.
Liu Guilan didn’t yet know that Lu Miaomiao and Xiao Bi’an had no intention of divorcing anymore—otherwise she would never have dared give Xiao Bi’an only one bun.
Lu Miaomiao… No wonder everyone here was so thin they looked like monkeys.
She watched everyone eating with satisfaction and wondered: is it really that good?
She took a sip of the corn porridge. It was scratchy and harsh on the throat—she really couldn’t stand it. She didn’t even try the corn buns, only eating a few bites of wild vegetables, which were acceptable.
“I’m not very hungry. You all eat,” she said, distributing her food.
She gave one corn bun each to Father-in-law Xiao Aiguo and Mother-in-law Niu Cuihua, and split her porridge among Xiao Xiaocao, the twin girls, and Dogdan.
Though the food was plain, she could clearly see gratitude on their faces.
“Thank you, Auntie!” the children said.
Especially Dogdan, who was deeply grateful. As a dependent in the family, just having food was already kindness enough. He was even planning to move out and stop burdening the Xiao family.
“You worked a lot today and helped cook—you should eat more,” Lu Miaomiao said calmly.
She had a decent impression of this child—honest and hardworking.
“Are you okay? No appetite? Feeling unwell?” Xiao Bi’an asked softly. He didn’t mind her giving food to others and not to him; instead, he was concerned about her health.
“I’m fine, I’m not hungry,” she blinked at him, signaling him not to worry.
“Good then,” he replied and continued eating, while she occasionally added wild vegetables to his bowl.
“Miaomiao… no, Comrade Lu, are you not planning to divorce An’an anymore?” Niu Cuihua asked carefully.
Everyone else looked up at her.
“Yes, Mother. I was confused before, but I’ve thought it through. I’ll live well with Xiao Bi’an from now on—we won’t divorce.”
“That’s good… that’s good. Living well together is what matters most,” Niu Cuihua lowered her head quickly, hiding her red eyes.
She noticed the corn bun in her hand—the one given by her daughter-in-law.
Stealing a glance at the couple’s interaction, she felt relieved. The daughter-in-law looked at her son gently—she really wasn’t planning to leave anymore.
Although she didn’t know why the girl had changed so much today, as long as she didn’t leave her son, that was enough.
The others also ate quietly, each lost in their own thoughts.
After dinner, Liu Guilan automatically went to wash the dishes.
Liu Huifang took her children back to the room and also brought food for Xiao Bigui.
Lu Miaomiao, on the other hand, carried Xiao Bi’an back to the room. Even though everyone had already seen it once, they were still amazed.
“Wow, Auntie is so amazing!”
“Auntie is carrying Uncle! So strong!”
Without the little tyrants from the second branch of the family, the twins became much more lively, clapping as they followed her into the room.
“Shh, don’t shout. You’ll make your uncle shy,” Lu Miaomiao said after placing Xiao Bi’an on the bed, gesturing at the children.
“Ahem… don’t talk nonsense. They’re still young,” Xiao Bi’an said helplessly, though his embarrassment had already faded.
“Sister-in-law, we’ll go out now. You and Brother Xiao should rest early,” Xiao Xiaocao said sensibly, leading the twins out.
“Wait a moment,” Lu Miaomiao stopped them.
She opened a large wooden chest as if retrieving something, then took out three boiled eggs.
She handed one to each of them.
These eggs were something she had stockpiled before the apocalypse—tens of thousands of them, including boiled eggs, tea eggs, soy-braised eggs, and even marinated ones made by a Michelin chef she hired. Even after ten years, many were still left.
“I’ll give these to you, but they’re not free. Tomorrow you three will go cut pig grass for me—enough for one work point.”
“We will! We’ll work hard, Auntie!” the livelier twin, Zhaodi, said happily.