Chu Fuyu moved the jar of pickled salted duck eggs into the kitchen and decided she wouldn’t do any more work that afternoon.
Her hands were starting to feel a bit rough.
She took some hand cream from her dressing table and carefully applied it evenly. After finishing, she leaned in and sniffed it—mm, jasmine scent. Nice.
As she applied it, she thought of her three sons. In this autumn weather, their little faces were probably already getting chapped from the cold. As the weather got colder, she had seen many children with windburned, reddened cheeks.
She checked her space and remembered that during a previous shopping spree, she had deliberately gone to a mother-and-baby store. Worried she might forget something, she simply bought everything in multiples—including children’s moisturizer. It was honey-scented, made with herbal ingredients, and free of additives.
After finding the lotion, Chu Fuyu went out to look for her sons.
She saw her eldest, Huai Jin, sitting properly in his room, quietly practicing calligraphy. That made her smile with satisfaction.
The other two were in the courtyard, catching insects with the chicks. Especially the youngest, Huaiyi, who asked innocently, “Second brother, can we eat these bugs?”
Huaiyu pouted. “Probably not. We’re not short of meat now—why would you want to eat bugs?”
“But if they don’t taste good, why do chicks like eating them? That means bugs must taste good,” Huaiyi said very seriously.
Huaiyu was speechless. “Chicks are different from us! Dogs even eat poop—are you going to try that too?”
Huaiyi blinked and said nothing.
Chu Fuyu couldn’t help laughing at their conversation—but the next second, her expression changed.
Huaiyi’s chubby little face suddenly lit up with innocent excitement. “Then let’s catch the bugs and give them to Mother! Maybe Mother likes eating them!”
Chu Fuyu: ∑(;°Д°)
She quickly stopped him. “Huaiyi! Mother is afraid of bugs! Don’t bring them here!”
Hearing her voice, the two boys squatting at the doorway turned around and snickered.
So their mother, who looked so powerful, was actually afraid of bugs!
Chu Fuyu rubbed her forehead. Honestly—her “good sons,” indeed.
After resting for the afternoon, she began preparing dinner again. The children gathered around her chattering, saying they wanted pork lard rice.
Fortunately, Chu Fuyu knew how to render lard. She chose pork fat and fatty meat, washed them clean, and started rendering oil in a large iron pot.
The three boys crouched by the stove pit, watching intently like little hungry puppies.
Chu Fuyu worked quickly while laughing. “Why are you all squatting here? Be careful not to get splashed by hot oil.”
Huaiyi sniffed hard, trying to soak in all the aroma of the pork fat.
“So fragrant! It smells amazing! Mother, can I have the cracklings later?”
Huaiyi asked eagerly, and Huaiyu and Huai Jin also looked expectant.
Chu Fuyu suddenly felt like a mother bird outside feeding three chicks with their mouths wide open.
“Alright, alright. You’ll get cracklings, stir-fried greens with lard, and lard rice.”
The three little ones immediately cheered.
Soon dinner was ready. They happily ate rich, oily rice and stir-fried vegetables. Worried they might feel greasy, Chu Fuyu also made a cucumber side dish to balance it out.
Watching the children eat so deliciously, Chu Fuyu felt deeply satisfied.
After dinner, she took them to recite poetry again.
Huai Yu hung his head. He was always the worst at memorizing poetry. Although he had managed to memorize the two poems his mother had taught them last time, he still felt he stumbled over them.
Today’s poems were “Climbing Stork Tower” and “Spring Dawn.”
Fortunately, Chu Fuyu had bought quite a few books in Xing’an Town. She discovered that this dynasty was likely a parallel world to her own—probably some period after the Song Dynasty.
So Tang poetry and Song lyrics also existed here.
The children still needed to continue memorizing them.
Besides poetry, they also had to learn the Three Character Classic.
In truth, children’s minds were naturally sharp; after reading a few times, they would pick it up. Once memorized at a young age, it was not easily forgotten. Moreover, under the nourishment of the spiritual spring water every day, the memory of the mother and three sons had improved greatly, and they learned new things much faster.
Of course, the most obvious changes were in their appearance.
Before, the family often went hungry and looked thin and sallow. Now that they were eating well every day—and with the effect of the spiritual spring—they were visibly full of vitality.
Chu Fuyu herself needed no mention. She had always been a beauty, and now she was even more stunning than Xi Shi.
Her three sons had also become fair and delicate, their cheeks plump and rosy. Dressed more properly now, they looked like little celestial children.
It was also clear that Huai Jin and Huai Yu resembled their father more. Their facial features were more defined and structured, with a faint sense of refined elegance.
The youngest, Huaiyi, most resembled Chu Fuyu. His slightly upturned eyes already hinted at a charming, graceful temperament, though he was still too young to fully show it.
After finishing the new lesson with the children, she warmed four cups of milk and coaxed them into drinking it, then sent them back to their rooms to sleep.
That night, lying on her carefully arranged soft bed, Chu Fuyu felt unusually at ease.
The only downside was the lack of electronic devices. Otherwise, she would have been watching dramas or reading novels to pass the time.
While she tossed and turned in bed, she suddenly heard the sound of rain tapping against the window.
It was raining.
A cold rain in autumn brings colder weather.
She instinctively pulled her blanket tighter, but thinking of her children, she reluctantly got out of her warm bed and went to each room to check on them, closing their windows one by one.
The children were already fast asleep, sleeping deeply and unaware of her presence. Looking at their rosy, peaceful faces, Chu Fuyu felt very satisfied.
After checking on them, she noticed water had already started pooling in the courtyard. The rain was getting heavier, but fortunately the donkey and poultry shelters were sturdy enough to keep them dry, so she finally relaxed.
She hurried back to her own bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, before Chu Fuyu even got up, she was woken by the children’s voices coming from the courtyard. They seemed to be arguing excitedly about something.
She stretched, then picked out a golden robe with a light purple undertone. The garment was embroidered with faint plum blossom patterns, giving it an elegant and noble look.
She casually pinned up her hair and inserted two pearl hairpins, appearing gentle and graceful.
When she stepped out into the courtyard, she saw her sons crouched on the ground, gathered tightly around something. From within the circle came faint whimpering sounds.
“What are you doing?”
Chu Fuyu walked closer. As soon as the children stood up, she saw it—
In the center of their circle was a small puppy.