Gu Yuan’s legs had gone numb from squatting. Only after Gu Lao’er left the backyard with the still-unwilling Qian Shi did she stomp her feet, stand up, and head back to her room.
The moment she pushed the door open, she saw Old Madam Gu sitting by the bedside with a long face. Gu Yuan let out a startled cry. Like the original host, she had the habit of closing the door behind her. Just now, she had been lost in thought the whole way back, so suddenly seeing someone in the room gave her quite a fright. Once she recognized it was Old Madam Gu, she finally relaxed and patted her chest. “Mother, you scared me.”
Old Madam Gu snorted, “You scared me too! Tell me, your injury hasn’t even healed, why are you running around?”
Heaven knew what she felt when she pushed open the door and found her daughter gone. Old Madam Gu had truly been terrified. Her first thought was that Er Ya had come to take revenge. She had even gone to the eldest son’s room to check. If Yang Shi and Da Ya hadn’t repeatedly assured her that Er Ya hadn’t left, she would have dragged the girl up and beaten her again.
Gu Yuan scratched her head awkwardly. “I just went to the latrine.” She didn’t mention overhearing her second brother and sister-in-law arguing. She didn’t want her mother to feel upset.
Old Madam Gu didn’t press further. She simply took a white flour pancake from the basket on the table and handed it to Gu Yuan. “Hungry, right? Mother made pancakes for you. Eat while it’s hot.”
Besides the basket, there was also a bowl of soup on the table. Gu Yuan tiptoed slightly to take a look—it was thick millet soup, much richer than what the family usually drank. No need to guess, this was another special portion prepared just for her.
The pancake was made of white flour. When Gu Yuan broke it in half, she discovered there was meat inside. The rich aroma made her swallow unconsciously. She handed half to Old Madam Gu. “Mother, you eat too.” Seeing her about to refuse, she put on a stern face. “No refusing. If you don’t eat, I won’t either.”
Thinking of what her second brother and his wife had said, Gu Yuan guessed the meat in the pancake came from what her mother had gotten from her fourth brother that day. Even without being there, she could imagine how many sarcastic remarks her mother must have endured to get that meat.
She couldn’t bring herself to enjoy the pancake without guilt.
Old Madam Gu looked at her for a long while before finally taking it. She tucked the stray hair by Gu Yuan’s ear behind it and said gently, “Mother knew my good girl cares about me the most. Just right, I haven’t eaten yet—let’s eat together.”
She understood her daughter well. If she didn’t eat, Gu Yuan would truly refuse as well. Old Madam Gu took a bite and chewed slowly, then casually said, “Your fourth brother still dotes on you. The moment he heard you were hurt, he gave money to buy meat for you. He even said if the family didn’t have enough silver, we should go to him. You’re his only sister—nothing can happen to you.”
Gu Yuan lowered her head and ate silently. The original host might have believed this easily, but Gu Yuan did not. Still, she respected Old Madam Gu. Since the old lady didn’t want her to know the hardship behind it, she wouldn’t dig deeper. It was enough to remember this moment.
There were three pancakes in the basket. After sharing one, Old Madam Gu refused to eat any more no matter what. Gu Yuan ate another half, then picked up the bowl of soup. Looking at the thick millet porridge, she said, “Mother, I ate a bit too much and can’t finish this. I’ll get another bowl—let’s split it.”
That wasn’t a lie. The pancake was large, and she was already about seventy percent full. She only wanted some light soup, not thick porridge.
Old Madam Gu waved her off. “No need for that trouble. You drink first, give me whatever’s left.”
In farming households, there wasn’t so much fuss about sharing bowls. She certainly wouldn’t mind drinking after her own daughter.
Gu Yuan set the bowl down. “Mother, I just don’t want porridge. You drink this. I’ll go to the kitchen and see if there’s any soup left.” She wanted to leave the porridge for her, knowing Old Madam Gu had only eaten half a pancake.
Old Madam Gu glanced at her, then at the porridge. “If you don’t want it, then don’t drink it. I’ll make you some egg soup to soothe your throat.”
She knew full well that the Gu family were like starving ghosts—at this hour, let alone soup, even pot-washing water might be gone. What could her daughter possibly drink? Earlier today, she had deliberately gone out of her way to consult the doctor, who said that if possible, the injured should eat more nourishing food so the wound would heal faster.
And when it came to nourishment, rice soup couldn’t compare to eggs and meat.
She had gotten half a jin of meat from the fourth son—half was made into pancakes, and the rest she minced for dumplings tomorrow. As for eggs, the fourth son had also given half a jin of brown sugar—perfect for making egg and brown sugar water.
Seeing Gu Yuan had finished eating, Old Madam Gu tidied up the basket. “I’ll keep the remaining pancake for you—save it for tonight. I’ll be home all day, so whenever you’re hungry, just call out.”
She didn’t say she’d leave it in the room. The people in the Gu family had noses like dogs—if they found out the pancake was here, it wouldn’t last.
Her daughter might seem clever, but in reality, she was easy to fool.
And indeed, she knew the family well. The moment she left, Qian Shi came in with her daughter Gu Feifei.
Gu Feifei was Qian Shi’s eldest child, twelve this year. Most people in Gu Family Village favored sons over daughters. Qian Shi valued her sons the most, but she differed from Yang Shi.
Yang Shi looked down on her daughters from the bottom of her heart, even naming them Zhaodi, Pandi, and the like. She ignored them completely. When the family had meat, even if Old Madam Gu distributed some to the granddaughters, Yang Shi would take it and give it to herself and Gu Laoda.
In her words, daughters were a loss—feeding them meat was a waste.
Qian Shi also prioritized her sons, but she still gave some care to her daughter. She was greedy but wouldn’t snatch food from her daughter—though she would use her daughter when needed.
Like today. She knew Gu Yuan couldn’t finish the meat pancakes. If she went to ask herself, Old Madam Gu would beat her and make her repay it. So she brought her daughter along.
If it was Gu Feifei craving meat, Old Madam Gu would at most scold a few words.
And since she was the mother, if her daughter got the pancake, would she not share it?
Gu Feifei understood her mother’s intentions clearly. She smiled awkwardly at Gu Yuan. “Aunt.”
Unlike her mother, she also craved meat, but as a grown girl, she felt it was improper—bad for her reputation if word got out.
The original host had a decent impression of this niece, so Gu Yuan remained polite. Seeing that Qian Shi had dropped her earlier sharpness, she pretended ignorance and greeted casually, “Second sister-in-law, Feifei, come sit.”
Gu Feifei grew more embarrassed. Qian Shi pushed her forward and said ingratiatingly, “Yuanyuan, are you feeling better? My Feifei has been wanting to visit ever since she heard you woke up. I kept stopping her so she wouldn’t disturb your rest. Today she insisted, said she was worried—so I had no choice but to come along.”
If Gu Yuan hadn’t overheard her argument earlier, she might have believed her. She put on a polite smile. “Really? I’m fine now. Thank you for thinking of me.”
After that, she said nothing.
She didn’t believe Qian Shi came just to express concern.
The atmosphere turned awkward. Qian Shi wasn’t good at hiding things and feared Old Madam Gu might return any moment. She gave Gu Feifei a look, but the girl pretended not to see.
She couldn’t bring herself to ask for food.
Qian Shi cursed inwardly and finally forced a smile. “So… what did you eat for lunch today?”
Gu Yuan raised an eyebrow. So that was it—her second sister-in-law had her eye on the meat pancake.
Not wanting to play along, she said bluntly, “Don’t you know? Fourth brother heard I was hurt and gave Mother some meat to cook something nourishing for me.”
Her mother wouldn’t speak ill of her fourth brother outside, and he wouldn’t expose himself either. So naturally, it had to be framed as a caring brother helping his sister.
Besides, the meat was obtained through her mother’s effort—there was no reason for her to act generous here.
Qian Shi rolled her eyes. Of course she knew—that’s why she came.
“There were three pancakes. You didn’t eat them all, did you? We don’t want much—just one is enough.”
Gu Yuan almost laughed. “Sister-in-law, telling me that is useless. I didn’t finish them, but Mother put them away. If you’ve got the nerve, go ask her.”
Her eyes flickered. “Or if you don’t dare, shall I ask second brother to help you?”
Her second brother was scheming like Qian Shi, but he cared about face. People in the village often mocked him for not being as filial as the eldest brother. He hated that the most.
Asking their mother for food? Anyone who dared would get slapped.
Qian Shi knew it too.
Her face immediately darkened. “If you won’t give it, fine. No need to drag your second brother into it.”
She twisted Gu Feifei’s arm. “See that? You think about her, but she never thinks about you.”
Gu Yuan’s lips tightened. She wouldn’t accept baseless accusations. “Sister-in-law, don’t you find that funny? Is it Feifei who wants to eat, or you who’s eyeing a sick girl’s pancake? Shall we call Mother and second brother to sort this out?”
“I don’t understand—Feifei is your daughter, already twelve, yet you make her take the blame for your greed. Are you trying to let everyone know the Gu family has a gluttonous girl?”
Qian Shi hadn’t expected to be exposed so directly. Her face turned ugly.
Gu Feifei shook off her mother’s hand. “I said I didn’t want to come, but you insisted. Now look—how embarrassing. You don’t care about shame, but I do!”
With that, she ran out.
After they left, Gu Yuan thought she’d finally get some peace. But soon after, the third girl of the Gu family walked in.
Gu San Ya—named Niandi—was also Gu Laoda’s daughter, but completely different from her sisters. In fact, she was different from the whole family.
She was greedy and malicious. When she saw something she liked, she would usually snatch it. If she couldn’t, she would glare at people with a dark, chilling gaze.
Most people would be intimidated, and then she would seize the chance to grab it.
If that didn’t work, she would lurk like a venomous snake, waiting to catch a weakness and use it for threats.
Among the daughters of the eldest branch, she was much stronger than her two sisters.