Chapter 21: Su XiaozhiTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Hearing his youngest daughter's heart-wrenching cries, Su Sanlang strode into the house.
He reached out to hold her.
Strangely, as soon as Su Xiaolu was in his arms, her cries subsided, but she still felt aggrieved.
Her lively eyes were filled with tears as she pouted and whimpered, as if she was saying that she's aggrieved.
Su Sanlang's heart melted. "Simei, be good. Daddy is here. Let's not cry anymore."
Su Xiaolu looked at Madam Zhao and then at Su Sanlang.
Su Sanlang understood a little and said to Madam Zhao, "Darling, have you not rested for a long time?"
Madam Zhao sighed. "Sanlang, I thought that since I was going to be done soon, I let Sanmei coax her first..."
Su Sanlang looked at Madam Zhao with pain in his eyes. He said gently, "Darling, I know what you're worried about. It's not cold yet. There's no need to be so anxious. You're not well. You have to rest well."
"Simei is sensible and feels sorry for you."
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Su Sanlang coaxed Su Xiaolu and placed her beside Madam Zhaoo. As expected, Su Xiaolu stopped crying.
Su Sanmei said, "Sanmei, keep an eye on your mother at home. If she refuses to rest, tell Father."
Su Sanmei nodded obediently. "Yes, I'll listen to Father and take good care of Mother."
Madam Zhao sighed helplessly. Although she was helpless, she said with a smile, "Okay, okay, okay. I'll listen to you, alright?"
Su Sanlang smiled warmly. "That's better."
With that, Su Sanlang called out to his two sons, "Chong, Hua, wake up. Let's make breakfast and go to work."
Su Chong and Su Hua nodded and got up quickly.
Su Sanmei also got up to help cook.
After breakfast, Su Sanlang took Su Chong and Su Hua up to the back of the house to turn the soil.
Su Sanmei watched as Madam Zhao drank the medicine and helped to change Su Xiaolu's diaper. Then, she took the diaper out and went to wash it.
When she was done, Su Sanmei went to catch insects to feed the chickens.
Su Sanlang was watching from not far away. He watched as Su Sanmei diligently made another trip to the chicken pen. He couldn't help but wonder, how could there be so many insects by the well?
However, he didn't have time to think about it. The old land was dry and overgrown. He spat into his red-smoothed palm and started to dig.
In the afternoon, a silhouette carried a basket toward Su Sanlang's house.
Su Sanlang saw the figure and recognized it as his little sister, Su Xiaozhi.
"Xiaozhi, why are you here?"
Su Sanlang put down his hoe and came out of the land.
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Su Sanmei, who was catching bugs, looked at Su Xiaozhi and smiled shyly. "Hello, Aunt."
Su Xiaozhi smiled and said to Su Sanmei, "Hey, Sanmei is so sensible."
Then, Su Xiaozhi looked at Su Sanlang with worry in her eyes. "Third Brother, how are you guys doing?"
Seeing that Su Xiaozhi was about to cry, Su Sanlang smiled and waved his hand. "Xiaozhi, it's rare for you to come by. Come inside. Drink some water and look at my little daughter. She's so beautiful."
Su Xiaozhi's heart ached when she saw how carefree Su Sanlang was, but she had no way to help.
She followed behind Su Sanlang and said, "Third Brother, go back and apologize to our parents. Take the children home, okay?"
Winter was always exceptionally cold. Her parents did not give much to her third brother at all. How was he going to get through this winter? Su Xiaozhi did not dare to think about it. She knew that her third brother's family had suffered, but she still wanted to persuade them. It was better to suffer than die.
"Third Brother, listen to me. Go back and apologize to your parents. I know you're sad, but think about the children. They'll be fine when they grow up."
Su Xiaozhi followed behind Su Sanmei and tried her best to persuade.
Su Sanlang paused and said in a heavy voice, "Xiaozhi, let's not talk about that. Our family is doing well now. Don't worry about us. Live your life well."
The determination in Su Sanlang's heavy voice made Su Xiaozhi's heart tremble. What could have possibly made her third brother completely give up on their parents?
She knew Su Sanlang's personality. At this point, Su Xiaozhi knew that there was no way to persuade him anymore.
She followed Su Sanlang into the house and put down the basket. "Third Brother, this is a little gift from me for Third Sister-in-law."
Su Xiaozhi brought forty eggs and a hundred copper coins.
Su Sanlang hurriedly declined. "Xiaozhi, take it back. I-"
Before Su Sanlang could finish, Su Xiaozhi interrupted her and said, "Third Brother, if you don't accept this, it means that you don't want to acknowledge me as your sister. If it weren't for you back then, I wouldn't be where I am now. Although I'm not rich, my husband's family treats me well. If you hadn't stood up for me back then, I wouldn't be where I am now."
Su Xiaozhi recalled that ten years ago, when she proposed marriage, Madam Wang and Old Master Su had chosen two families for her. One family gave her a lot of money for the betrothal gifts, but their family's atmosphere was not very good. The other family's background was average, but they were simple and good people.
Madam Wang and Old Master Su were about to give her away to the family that offered more money for the dowry.
It was Su Sanlang, her third brother, who had stood up against her parents and even beat up that family's son. He told their domineering mother, Madam Wang, that if he dared to marry his sister over, he would snatch her back.
His attitude shocked Madam Wang and Old Master Su. Hence, Su Xiaozhi married into the family with an average family background in the end. Although she was not rich in the past ten years, she led a good life. She was not cold nor hungry.
Every time she thought about it, Su Xiaozhi was filled with gratitude, especially as she grew older. She understood how precious it was for Su Sanlang to protect her.
Since Su Xiaozhi had already said so, how could Su Sanlang reject her? He sighed. "I'll take this money as a loan from you. I'll return it to you when I have money in the future."
Su Xiaozhi smiled. "Sure."
As long as Third Brother accepts it,?she thought.
Looking at the renovated straw hut, Su Xiaozhi sighed.
Su Sanlang knew what she was worried about. He smiled and said, "Don't worry. I'll flip the soil and sow some vegetables in a few days. In the back mountain forest, I also set up a few traps that can catch wild animals. I caught some just a few days ago and sold them to buy cloth and cotton. Your third sister-in-law is cutting cloth to make clothes right now."
With that, Su Sanlang brought Su Xiaozhi into the house to take a look.
Looking at the cloth, Su Xiaozhi was relieved, but she still could not calm down.
When Madam Zhao saw Su Xiaozhi, she smiled and said, "Xiaozhi, you're here. Thank you for coming to see us."
Su Sanlang smiled and said, "Xiaozhi, sit and chat with your sister-in-law. I'll cook."
With that, Su Sanlang left.
Su Xiaozhi sat down beside Madam Zhao and held her hand. "Sister-in-law, what happened? Tell me, why... did it end up like this?"
Even if she gave birth to another daughter, her parents would scold her, but it would all pass after a while.
Chapter 22: ReasonTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
How did it get to the point where Third Brother's family was chased out??Su Xiaozhi thought.
Madam Zhao sighed and looked at the anxious and concerned Su Xiaozhi. She told her the reason and said, "Xiaozhi, I was a disappointing wife. I didn't give birth to a son for your third brother. Father and Mother couldn't tolerate Simei. They said that we had to either abandon Simei or leave."
Su Xiaozhi looked at Madam Zhao in shock. She could not believe it.
Su Xiaolu was lying on the bed and had long since woken up. She did not cry or make a fuss. Her bright eyes looked at Su Xiaozhi curiously, as if sizing her up.
Looking at her obedient niece, Su Xiaozhi felt her heart ache. She understood.
Madam Zhao added, "And I also hurt my body because of Simei. I can't have another child in the future."
Actually, this was the root of the problem. If Su Sanlang was willing to be an obedient son, Old Master Su and Madam Wang could tolerate. As long as he was obedient, abandoned his daughter and Madam Zhao, the woman who could not give birth to a son, died.
It was Su Sanlang who couldn't bring himself to let her down, so he'd rather bring his family out to spend their lives alone, even if they might all starve and freeze to death this winter.
Su Xiaozhi had indescribable emotions in her heart. When she saw Madam Zhao's tearful eyes, her heart ached. She reached out to wipe away Madam Zhao's tears and said, "Sister-in-law, don't think too much. It's not your fault. My third brother is a real man for doing this. He's indeed the brother I admire."
Su Sanlang was loyal, so he could not abandon his wife and daughter. Just as he stood up for his sister back then.
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Su Xiaozhi took out a silver bracelet from her sleeve and handed it to Madam Zhao. "Sister-in-law, I can't help you much. This is the only thing I can give you. Please accept it. When your family is in a pinch, use it. After you get through this year, everything will get better."
Madam Zhao was shocked and touched. She wanted to refuse, but she couldn't get the words out. She only cried and said, "Xiaozhi, thank you..."
Su Xiaozhi also shed tears. She smiled and said, "You'll definitely get through it."
Madam Zhao nodded heavily.
Su Xiaozhi wiped her tears away. "Alright, don't cry. You're still in confinement."
Both of them wiped their tears. Su Xiaozhi looked at Su Xiaolu and realized that the little girl seemed to have been looking at her. Her lips pursed.
There were tears in her lively eyes, but she didn't cry out.
Su Xiaozhi reached out gently and said, "Simei, be good and let me hug you, okay?"
Su Xiaolu burst into tears.
Ever since Su Xiaozhi came, she had been paying attention to this aunt of hers.
She had also thought that her aunt might be here to cause trouble, but she had miscalculated. Her aunt was here to help them. How precious it was.
Su Xiaolu was touched and remembered this gesture in her heart.
Su Xiaozhi picked up Su Xiaolu. She was afraid that the little girl would cry, but to her surprise, after she picked her up, the tears in Su Xiaolu's eyes gradually disappeared. She even opened her mouth and smiled at her.
Su Xiaozhi was pleasantly surprised. "Simei, you're so obedient. You seem to understand us."
Su Xiaozhi looked at Madam Zhao with a hint of pain in her eyes.
Madam Zhao smiled and said, "Simei is indeed very obedient. She doesn't cry much or make a fuss. It's not tiring to take care of her at all."
Su Xiaozhi's eyes were gentle. "That's good, that's good. The next time I come to see you, Simei will have to recognise me."
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Su Xiaozhi sighed. She only returned to her parents' house once a year. This time, she had estimated that Madam Zhao would be giving birth soon. However, she did not expect that in less than a year, there would be such a drastic change.
Since they could not go back, she wished from the bottom of her heart that her upright third brother could live a safe and healthy life with his family.
Madam Zhao also looked at Su Xiaolu in Su Xiaozhi's arms and sighed slightly. "Yes, next time you come, Simei might even be able to walk."
Su Xiaozhi smiled and looked into Su Xiaolu's bright eyes. She could not help but say, "Our Simei must be very good-looking when she grows up. She looks like Third Brother, but her skin is fair like yours."
Such a cute child. Su Xiaozhi could not accept nor understand why her mother was so vicious and could not tolerate this baby.
Su Xiaolu smiled often and almost melted Su Xiaozhi's heart. She could only feel sorry that she did not have money and could not help her third brother's family.
After returning Su Xiaolu to Madam Zhao, Su Xiaozhi said, "Sister-in-law, take Simei to rest. I'll help you make some clothes. I'm fast and can help you sew a rough foundation."
Before Madam Zhao could say no, Su Xiaozhi had already gone to pack the cotton and cloth.
Madam Zhao felt a lump in her throat and said, "Alright, thank you."
Su Xiaozhi waved her hand and said nothing.
Su Sanlang was cooking with Su Sanmei.
Su Chong and Su Hua returned after packing up the grass and roots that Su Sanlang had dug out. The two of them entered the house and looked at Su Xiaozhi curiously.
Su Xiaozhi's expression was gentle as she waved at the two of them. When the two of them walked over, Su Xiaozhi patted their heads and asked, "Chong, Hua, do you remember me? Last year, during the new year, I came to visit you."
Su Chong and Su Hua nodded. "Yes, you gave us candy."
Su Xiaozhi smiled and took out a small paper bag and handed it to the two of them. "There are only three pieces left. Take them and share them with your sister. Everyone gets one piece, understand?"
Su Chong and Su Hua did not know if they should take it. Before they could say anything, Su Xiaozhi had already placed the sugar packet in their hands.
Madam Zhao said gently, "Listen to Aunt. Go outside and share it with Sanmei."
Su Chong and Su Hua's eyes lit up.
Suhua said clumsily, "Okay, thank you, Aunt."
Su Chong also hurriedly said, "Thank you, Aunt."
The two of them could not conceal their joy and had already gone out of the room together.
Soon, Su Sanmei's happy shout came from the outer room. "Thank you, Aunt."
Su Sanlang's heart warmed. He said gently, "Go eat outside. Father will stay here. When we eat later, I will call for you."
He had never bought candy for his three children. They had only tried them when Su Xiaozhi returned to visit the family.
Su Sanlang's heart sank and ached when he thought about how his eldest brother and second brother's children often had candy to eat in that house, and his children didn't even get to eat the dregs.
The next time he caught prey, he would buy some candy for the three children. Su Sanlang kept this in mind.
Su Sanmei took her two brothers outside to eat candy. This candy was very hard and sticky. Each of them only had a candy the size of a thumb. They held it in their mouths and let it slowly melt.
After sharing the candy, Su Chong and Su Hua eagerly put it in their mouths.
Su Sanmei quietly took a bite, then wrapped the rest and put it in her pocket.
"Big Brother, Second Brother, let's have a bug-catching competition."
Su Sanmei took Su Chong and Su Hua to catch insects to feed the chickens.
Chapter 23: Don't Even Want Your DaughterTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
With food to eat, the two chickens were very cheerful, but Su Sanmei realized that the hen had not come to eat. Instead, it was squatting motionless on the bundle of grass. Su Sanmei suddenly realized something.
She quickly grabbed Su Chong and Su Hua and made a shushing gesture at them. She smiled and said, "Big Brother, Second Brother, don't speak. Our hen is about to lay an egg."
Su Chong and Su Hua had never seen this before. They carefully followed Su Sanmei and quietly squatted outside the chicken coop to watch.
The hen was wary when laying eggs. The slightest movement disturbed it, but in the quietness, the hen quickly completed the process of laying an egg.
Then, it jumped out of the chicken coop and ran towards Su Sanmei.
A white egg was left in the chicken coop.
Su Sanmei went in and carefully picked up the egg. Then, she said to her two brothers, "Let's go and tell Father."
Su Sanmei was very happy and didn't forget to turn back to the hen in the coop. "You're awesome. I'll catch more worms for you to eat later."
The egg was huge, like a reward.
As soon as they entered the house, Su Sanmei smiled and said, "Father, look, there's another egg today."
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Su Sanlang was a little surprised. Ever since this chicken started laying eggs, it laid eggs every day. Moreover, they were relatively big. Compared to the eggs sent by Su Xiaozhi, it was even more obvious.
Su Sanlang took the egg and said with a smile, "Good child, your aunt sent over a basket of eggs. I'll cook poached eggs for you today."
The rice was still mixed with corn, while the vegetables were dried and soaked. He cut a small piece of cured meat and cooked it. Then, he beat six eggs to make poached egg soup.
Because Su Xiaozhi was here, there were not enough bowls to eat with. Su Sanlang called Su Xiaozhi to eat. After scooping for the children, he carried Madam Zhao's food into the house.
In just two hours, Su Xiaozhi had sewn the foundation of the three children's cotton clothes. Su Sanlang's heart warmed. "Darling, it's time to eat. Our chicken laid another egg. Xiaozhi also brought a basket of eggs for you to eat. In the future, I'll cook an egg for you every day."
"Sanlang, don't worry about me. Go out and take care of Xiaozhi."
Madam Zhao took the bowl and urged Su Sanlang to leave.
She lowered her eyes so Su Sanlang could not see her tears.
When Su Sanlang came out, he realized that Su Xiaozhi and the children had not eaten yet. Su Sanlang quickly went to get a bamboo bowl and scooped rice. He said, "Eat quickly."
After Su Sanlang sat down, Su Xiaozhi smiled and said, "Alright, alright, let's eat."
Su Xiaozhi gave the poached eggs to the three children. Seeing that there was only one left in the bowl, she gave it to Su Sanlang without thinking.
Su Sanlang quickly stopped her and said, "Xiaozhi, I don't eat eggs. If you don't eat them, I'll be angry."
Su Xiaozhi had no choice. He knew that Su Sanlang was telling the truth.
After dinner, Su Xiaozhi was about to leave when Su Sanlang took two eggs from the chicken at home and sent her out. He said, "Xiaozhi, I don't have anything to return to you. These two eggs were laid by our chicken at home. They're not worth much. Take them back as a good bet."
Su Xiaozhi did not refuse. She took the egg and said, "Third Brother, I'll go back then. I'll visit you guys again next year."
"Okay. Stay safe."
Su Sanlang said with a smile. After sending Su Xiaozhi away, Su Sanlang continued to flip the soil with Su Chong and Su Hua.
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Meanwhile, Su Sanmei was taking care of Madam Zhao and Su Xiaolu in the house.
Su Xiaozhi carefully put the eggs away. The eggs in her hand were equivalent to three ordinary eggs. She thought about how when she came, she saw Su Sanmei catching insects to feed the chickens, and how Su Chong and Su Hua were helping to rake the ground and clearing weeds. The heavens would definitely treat this family well.
When Su Xiaozhi returned to the Su family, she realized that the door was already closed. No one seemed to be at home.
Su Xiaozhi's heart turned cold. She went forward and knocked on the door. She shouted, "Father, Mother, are you at home?"
No one responded to her.
However, the sound of her nephews playing in the house told Su Xiaozhi that there were people at home, but she was not welcome in the house.
This was only because she insisted on visiting the Third Brother's family.
Before going, Madam Wang said, "If you dare to go, don't ever come back again."
Su Xiaozhi did not take it seriously, but at this moment, looking at the tightly shut door, she knew that what Madam Wang said was true. Su Xiaozhi's heart ached a little, but she did not regret doing that at all. Since her parents were so ruthless and refused to let her in, she would not force them to.
Su Xiaozhi shouted again, "Father, Mother, it's getting late. I'll go home first."
With that, Su Xiaozhi left.
As soon as she left, Madam Wang opened the door and splashed out a ladle of water. Accompanying it were Madam Wang's merciless cursing. "You scourge, don't ever come back. If I had known this would happen, I would have drowned you to death back then. Like that family, you're also a piece of trash. Get lost!"
Su Xiaozhi's back trembled. She still did not look back and quickened her pace.
When Madam Wang saw Su Xiaozhi leave, she was not appeased at all. She placed her hands on her hips and stomped her feet as she said fiercely, "Once it snows, I'll see how that room full of rotten things can survive. Pfft—I'm so angry."
After cursing them, Madam Wang turned around fiercely and lost her temper at Madam Li and Madam Zhou. "Look, look, see if you can bring all the food here by looking. Hurry up and get to work. Whoever dares to slack off, get out of this house."
Madam Li and Madam Zhou were in a difficult position and did not dare to challenge Madam Wang directly. However, they were secretly cursing her to die in their hearts.
Without Madam Zhao at home, Madam Wang vented her anger on the two of them.
In the past, they did not feel it, but ever since the third branch was split up, Madam Li and Madam Zhou had suffered quite a bit, although they could not do anything about it.
There was a lot of work to do at home, and it was tiring. They had to go to the fields as well. As for the cooking at home, Madam Wang and Madam Zhou's daughter took care of it. The hard work of the autumn harvest immediately made everyone feel tired.
Madam Li and Madam Zhou carried their baskets on their backs and started chatting.
"It will still be tough for a month or two. It's so tiring. There's no mother-in-law in the entire Southern Mountain Village who is more heartless than our mother."
As Madam Li complained, she felt a wave of frustration in her heart. Madam Wang was both stingy and vicious. The moment she caught anyone, she would curse them viciously. It was infuriating to hear.
Madam Zhou felt the same way. "Isn't that so? She doesn't even want her own son and daughter. I wonder when such days will come to an end."
Their only hope was for their sons to be successful in their studies. By then, Madam Wang would be old too.
Madam Li sighed. At this moment, she was actually a little envious of Madam Zhao. She thought about how her three sons were all healthy and would definitely have a good life after being separated.
She looked at Madam Zhou and said casually, "Right, I'm even a little envious of the Third Sister-in-law."
Chapter 24: Another GainTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Madam Zhou smiled. She was not as stupid as Madam Zhao. When Madam Li said that, she knew exactly what Madam Li was up to.
She was not stupid. Old Master Su was still in good health, and Madam Wang was not old yet. She would not dare to mention separating from the family unless she did not want to stay in this family anymore.
Madam Zhou smiled and said, "Aiyah, Sister-in-law, you can't say that. Third Sister-in-law has a lot of difficulties too. Our lives are still better, don't you think so?"
Madam Li chuckled. "Hehe, that's true."
When Madam Zhou said that, she knew that she could not possibly use her to her own advantage. Madam Zhou was very clever.
Both of them had their own plans, and neither spoke again.
Although Madam Wang was detestable and they were all secretly cursing her to die, none of them could be happy if Madam Wang died now.
If Madam Wang were to die now, Old Master Su would definitely have to marry a widow soon. At that point, life would be even harder for them. Therefore, even if they hated her, they still hoped that she would just grow old quickly.
As for the third branch, Madam Zhao was no longer pressured by her mother-in-law. It was just that they might not be able to survive the winter in that dilapidated house.
Perhaps the old house would collapse if the snow got too heavy in winter.
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... .
Su Sanlang's family did not know about what happened to Su Xiaozhi.
As soon as Su Xiaozhi left, Su Sanlang and his two sons continued to flip the soil.
With Su Sanmei taking care of Madam Zhao, Su Sanlang did not have to worry.
After Su Sanlang dug through the ground twice, he looked at the thick piles of grass and grass roots that had been cleared. Hard soil was difficult to dig, and if those grass roots weren't dug out, then nothing much would grow on this land. Since grass grew faster than grain, he had to dig up all the grass roots at once.
At the end of the day, only a small plot of land had been sorted out. Not even half an acre.
After dinner and washing up, the children went to bed.
Su Sanlang had just lied down when Madam Zhao touched the bloody blisters on his palm. Her heart ached. "Sanlang, let's take a break tomorrow."
Su Sanlang smiled and said, "It's not a big deal. I'm in good health, so it's not a big deal. It's just that the ground is a little difficult to dig. But after I deal with it, I won't have to work so hard next year."
Madam Zhao stroked the blisters and leaned against Su Sanlang, silently crying.
"Sanlang, starting tomorrow, tell Sanmei not to pick up our eggs and let them hatch into chicks. If things move along fast, we can will chicks in October. If it's too cold by then, we can raise them in the house."
Madam Zhao began to plan. As long as the eggs in the chicken coop reached a certain amount, the hen would no longer lay eggs.
And it took twenty-one days for a nest of eggs to hatch. It was now August 18. If nothing went wrong, a nest of chicks would be born in October.
Su Sanlang had worked so hard for this family. How could she bear to let him work alone? How could she eat the eggs that were given to her?
Su Sanlang nodded. "Sure, I'll listen to you. Thanks to Xiaozhi who sent the eggs, you'll have something to eat, so I'm not worried."
Su Xiaozhi sent over 40 eggs and they ate five for lunch. There were still 35 left.
Madam Zhao could eat one every day for a month and five days.
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It was just that the three children couldn't continue to eat eggs. They were sensible and would not cry if they could not eat them, but the thought of this made Su Sanlang feel sorry for them.
When they had more hens laying eggs in the future, he would let his children eat eggs every day.
Su Sanlang fell asleep as he thought about this.
Madam Zhao knew that Su Sanlang was very tired and did not say anything else. She gently patted Su Xiaolu and soon fell asleep too.
Beside Su Xiaolu was her third sister. When Su Xiaolu woke up in the middle of the night, she secretly fed her spiritual spring water again.
Early in the morning of August 19, Su Sanlang went to check the traps. To his surprise, he caught four rabbits. The other traps did not trap anything, but neither were they destroyed.
He carried the rabbits home and locked them up.
The rabbits were in good spirits. He was too busy to go to town these few days, so he planned to make a big cage to keep the rabbits in first.
Su Sanmei was delighted to see the rabbits.
After breakfast, Su Sanmei took Su Chong and Su Hua to catch insects and pull grass to feed the rabbits.
The grass at the place where she often washed diapers was green, perfect for rabbits.
Madam Zhao was making clothes in the house and was very happy to hear that Su Sanlang had caught four rabbits. When she was feeding Su Xiaolu, she even sighed and muttered to herself, "The heavens love us."
After Su Xiaolu was full, she spat out a bubble and smiled at Madam Zhao.
Right now, she wasn't worried that this family would die of coldness or hunger. Since the insects that Su Sanmei had caught carried a tiny bit of spiritual energy, she wasn't worried that Su Sanlang's traps wouldn't be able to catch anything. The mountain was so big. If he couldn't catch them in this area, he could simply find another place to catch them.
As for her, she only needed to eat and drink well.
Every day, she would let her diligent Third Sister drink spiritual spring water. When her Third Sister's health improved, she would be able to catch more insects and work even harder. It was a virtuous circle.
After Su Sanlang finished weaving the cage, he went into the house to see Su Xiaolu and teased her.
"Simei, Daddy is going to flip the soil. Be good at home with Mother."
Su Sanlang liked talking to Su Xiaolu, and Su Xiaolu gave him a smile.
Blinking her eyes, she opened her mouth wide after laughing.
Daddy, go ahead. I'll send you my love,?she thought.
Su Sanlang looked at Su Xiaolu's face and felt a warmth in his heart. Every time he looked at his little daughter, it was as if he was provided with a lot of energy.
After seeing his daughter, Su Sanlang said to Madam Zhao, "Darling, take your time making the clothes. Don't be too tired. I'm going out."
Madam Zhao smiled gently and nodded.
Before Su Sanlang left, he said to Su Xiaolu, "Simei, help me take care of your mother. If your mother doesn't listen to me, tell me when I come back."
Su Xiaolu opened her mouth and replied, "Yiyi—"
No problem,?she thought.
Madam Zhao did not know whether to laugh or cry. Her heart felt like it had been injected with honey, making her feel sweet.
Su Sanlang had reached the back of the mountain to flip the soil. Su Chong and Su Hua helped clear the grass and weeds.
In addition to helping Madam Zhao change and wash diapers, Su Sanmei also pulled grass and caught insects, taking care of the chickens and rabbits.
From time to time, the four rabbits would make noises. Every time Su Sanmei came over with grass, the rabbits would be so scared that they didn't dare to move.
Su Sanmei said softly, "Little rabbits, don't be afraid. Eat quickly. Eat your fill."
Rabbits loved to eat green grass. Su Sanmei even saw a rabbit pulling at the fur of another rabbit. She used a small stick to push it away and said, "Little Gray, you can't do this. If you pluck its fur, it won't look good."
Her father would have to sell these rabbits. If they were bald, they might sell for less. Therefore, Su Sanmei had to stop the rabbits from plucking their fur. When she tried to stop it, the gray rabbit stayed away. However, the next time Su Sanmei looked over, it would be plucking the fur of other rabbits again.
Chapter 25: There Seems To Be A BunnyTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
That night, Su Sanmei told Su Sanlang about what happened.
"Father, let's separate the bad gray rabbit. He's plucked so much of their fur."
Su Sanmei was a little angry. The rabbit didn't dare when she was watching, but as long as she looked away, the gray rabbit went to pluck other rabbit fur.
Su Sanlang was also worried. If he wanted to raise them separately now, he wouldn't have any extra cages.
Madam Zhao vaguely heard their conversation. She had a guess in her heart, so before Su Sanlang could say anything, she shouted from inside the house, "Sanlang, come inside. I have something to tell you."
When Su Sanlang heard Madam Zhao's shout, he put the rabbits' problems aside and immediately turned around to enter the room.
In the room, Madam Zhao looked at Su Sanlang and said, "Sanlang, I might know what's going on with that rabbit, but I'm not too sure if it's true. I just heard from others that when rabbits are about to give birth, they would pluck fur to make a nest. That rabbit might be about to give birth to a bunny."
Su Sanlang was surprised. "So what should we do?"
Su Sanmei followed him into the room and listened quietly. When she heard that it might be giving birth to a bunny, she was a little excited. She said, "Father, let's raise it. This way, we'll have a lot of rabbits in the future. I can pull a lot of grass for the rabbits to eat."
Su Sanlang was a little surprised too. If they had a nest of little rabbits, wouldn't they have a big group of rabbits in the future?
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"Sanlang, whether there is or not, let's raise that rabbit separately first. It doesn't matter if there's no cage. Use the basket to cover it first."
There was also light in Madam Zhao's eyes. Although she was unsure, the thought of it made her feel very good.
Su Sanlang nodded. "Okay. Whatever you say."
When Su Sanlang went out to separate the four rabbits, he specially weighed rabbits in his hand. The gray rabbit that could possibly be pregnant was heavier than the other rabbits. Moreover, it was fierce. It even kicked its legs when he picked it up.
Su Sanlang laughed as he separated it.
Perhaps because they had expectations, the family was in a good mood. They ate their rough meals happily.
Su Sanlang thought that they could not afford to eat the cured meat every day, so most of the time, he cooked dry vegetables to eat.
He used water to boil vegetables with poached eggs and pretended that there was meat.
The food was not good, but all three children enjoyed it. They chewed slowly as if they were eating delicious delicacies. Su Sanlang thought to himself that life would get better.
The next morning, Su Sanlang specially made a new cage for the rabbit.
Su Sanmei brought her two brothers and caught the insects for Su Sanlang to put in the traps.
After doing all this, Su Sanmei brought her two brothers to pluck grass and feed the rabbits.
When Su Sanlang returned from checking the traps, he was carrying another dead pheasant.
Su Chong and Su Hua surrounded him and watched eagerly. They didn't ask, but their eyes were clearly asking, "Father, are we eating that?"
Su Sanmei had the same question. If it died, should he sell it or eat it?
Su Sanlang seemed to see the children's doubts and said with a smile, "This pheasant is dead. If we try to sell it to the city people, they'll think it's not fresh. Let's boil water and clean it up. I'll make chicken soup for you guys tonight."
"Yay!"
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Su Chong and Su Hua were overjoyed.
Su Sanlang patted the three children. This pheasant weighed four catties, and even after removing its internal organs, it weighed nearly three catties. He chopped it into small pieces and stewed half of it.
As the chicken simmered, Su Sanlang went to flip the soil.
The fragrance of the chicken soup was so strong that Su Sanmei felt like she was floating. When she went into the house to help Madam Zhao change Su Xiaolu's diaper, Su Sanmei even sniffed and teased Su Xiaolu, "Su Sanmei, do you smell it? This is meat. It's a pity that you're still young. Otherwise, I would have fed it to you."
Madam Zhao smiled and said, "It smells so good."
Su Sanmei nodded seriously. "Yes, yes. It smells so good. I've never smelled anything like it."
Never had anything like it either,?she thought.
Perhaps remembering the bad times, Su Sanmei lowered her eyes.
Madam Zhao sighed and reached out to stroke Su Sanmei's hair. "When the chicks hatch in the future, we'll eat chicken once a month."
Su Sanmei looked up at Madam Zhao with a smile in her eyes. She nodded. "Okay."
Su Xiaolu kicked her legs happily. She was free whenever they changed her diapers every day and had the chance to move around more.
After changing the diaper, Su Sanmei pinched Su Xiaolu's little hand and pressed it against her face.
Madam Zhao said, "Be careful, Simei might scratch you."
Su Sanmei leaned against Su Xiaolu and said with a smile, "No, Simei won't scratch me. Simei smells so good too. She's sweet like the candy Aunt gave me."
Speaking of candy, Su Sanmei hadn't finished eating the piece from yesterday yet. Yesterday, she didn't have time to take it out. Su Sanmei took out a paper bag from her pocket and opened it. She handed the candy to Madam Zhao. "Mother, eat this."
Madam Zhao was caught off guard and was almost moved to tears. She held it in with great effort and said in a choked voice, "My dear, why would Mother eat candy? Hurry up and eat it yourself."
Su Sanmei shook her head. "I want Mother to eat it. It will nourish your body."
Su Sanmei looked at Madam Zhao. Over the past few days, Madam Zhao's complexion had improved a lot, but she was still very afraid that Madam Zhao would become as pale as the day she gave birth to Simei.
Su Sanmei would never forget the strong smell of blood that day. It was also at that moment that she suddenly understood what it meant to die. She knew that if her mother died, she would no longer have a mother.
She did not want to be without a mother. Su Sanmei stuffed the candy into Madam Zhao's mouth and got up to take the diapers out to wash them.
Madam Zhao held the candy in her mouth, and tears flowed down her cheeks.
She sighed and gently squeezed Su Xiaolu's little hand. As she wrapped her up, she said, "Sime, God is so good to me. I met your daddy and had such sensible children. I must take care of my body so that I can watch you grow up and marry a good person..."
Su Xiaolu looked at Madam Zhao closely and smiled at her.
She definitely would. When she grew up, she would contribute to the family. She would personally choose a good partner for such a good third sister.
As for her two silly brothers, if they were cured, they would naturally have a good marriage. If they couldn't be cured, she would raise them for the rest of her life. She will be a doctor in the future. Her two brothers could be her assistants and help with the drying of medicine. They could live a good life on their own.
After being wrapped up by Madam Zhao, Su Xiaolu began to fall asleep. She was still a baby at this point, so she should sleep obediently.
Seeing that Su Xiaolu had fallen asleep quickly, Madam Zhao leaned over and kissed Su Xiaolu's forehead. "Simei, you're so obedient. Sleep well. I'll make clothes for your father, brothers, and sister."
Madam Zhao quietly made clothes in the house. While Su Sanmei washed the diapers, the chicken was cooked. She put off the fire and let the soup slowly simmer on the stove.
Then, she ran out again to pull grass and catch insects to feed the chickens and rabbits.
As the sky gradually darkened, Su Sanlang looked at the half-acre of land he had dug and felt a sense of accomplishment.
Chapter 26: The Rabbit Gave Birth to a BunnyTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Su Sanlang put down his hoe and said, "Chong, Hua, we're done for the day. Let's go home and cook."
Su Chong and Su Hua's eyes immediately lit up. They looked in the direction of the house below and immediately ran down.
They had smelled the chicken stew long ago. It smelt delicious.
Su Sanlang smiled at his innocent and lively sons, and his weariness seemed to be brushed away. He too carried his hoe home.
With Su Sanmei helping with the cooking, Su Sanlang was not tired at all.
He went to check on the rabbits. The rabbit, which they suspected was about to give birth, hadn't moved yet, but it had pulled out a lot of its own fur to pad its nest.
The other rabbits were also very energetic as they ate the grass. It would definitely not be a problem to raise them for three to five days.
Su Sanlang planned to go to town to sell these rabbits after he finished flipping the soil. He also planned to buy some vegetables seeds and plant them in the fields.
The meal was cooked, and the three children could hardly wait.
Su Sanlang distributed the food one by one. After each of them received three pieces of chicken, the three of them ate slowly. As for what was left in the pot, the three children did not even look at it.
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Such good behavior both comforted and pained Su Sanlang. He scooped a bowl of chicken soup and chicken for Madam Zhao and said, "Darling, quickly try it. The children are eating it very well."
The big piece of chicken in Madam Zhao's bowl was obviously drumstick meat.
Madam Zhao asked with concern, "Sanlang, have you tried it?"
Su Sanlang could not bring himself to eat it. Just as he was about to lie to Madam Zhaoo, she did not give him a chance to speak. She fed him a piece of chicken and said gently, "I guess you definitely didn't eat it. Open your mouth. I'll eat after you eat."
Madam Zhao knew very well what kind of person Su Sanlang was, so she had to feed this piece of chicken to him.
Unable to refuse, Su Sanlang could only open his mouth and take a bite.
How fragrant. Su Sanlang could not even bear to spit out the bones. Seeing that Madam Zhao also ate, he smiled and went out to eat.
The chicken was fragrant and nutritious. Madam Zhao would feel better after eating it. This way, he would be relieved.
On the 20th of August, when he woke up early, Su Sanlang went to check on the rabbits. Nothing much had happened. He closed the cage and went out to check on the traps.
Soon he was back, this time carrying two live pheasants and a hare.
He could not even contain the smile on his face. He tied up the pheasant's feet and went into the house to report the good news to Madam Zhao. "Darling, we're so lucky. I caught two more pheasants today. There was no movement from the traps yesterday, and a few traps were destroyed."
As he spoke, Su Sanlang could not help but be shocked. His traps never missed.
Madam Zhao was also surprised. "That's great."
Although she was very happy, she was also puzzled. Why did they catch something every time? As she thought about it, Madam Zhao was a little afraid.
Madam Zhao asked, "Sanlang, why is this happening every time?"
Su Sanlang scratched his head in confusion. "I don't know about that. Maybe I got lucky."
Lucky. This was so lucky, it was unbelievable.
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In the past, if they could catch one or two in a year, they were considered lucky.
But now, he caught something every time he set up the traps, which meant that he did not miss a single time. His luck could not be said to be good, but it was heaven-defying.
As he thought about it, Su Sanlang felt a little depressed. He thought about how the insects in the traps were always caught by Su Sanmei. The first time, he caught them himself. That time, he didn't get anything.
Su Sanlang patted his head. "Darling, I remember now. Our Sanmei caught all the bugs that were used as bait. She caught bugs every day to feed the chickens, and our hens laid eggs. Do you think it's because those bugs are so good that the chickens eat them well and even the wild animals like them?"
Now, everything seemed to be clear.
"Speaking of which, Sanmei catches insects every day. It seems like there's an endless amount of bugs."
Su Sanlang was also a little puzzled. When he made traps, he used both insects and grass as bait. Pheasants liked insects, but rabbits might like grass that smelled of insects.
"I'll go out and take a look."
Su Sanlang had his doubts and turned to leave.
Madam Zhao also had questions in her heart, so she didn't say anything.
Su Chong and Su Hua both woke up, not knowing what had happened.
After Su Sanlang left, Su Sanmei said weakly, "Mother, can I still catch insects to feed the chickens in the future?"
Thinking that the chickens were fine after eating the insects, not to mention that it had brought such a good harvest to the family, Madam Zhao reached out and stroked Su Sanmei's hair. "Yes, this is a good thing."
When Su Sanmei heard that it was a good thing, she was relieved. She smiled happily and said, "Mom, I'll catch insects every day for the chickens. When the chicks hatch in the future, I'll give them to the chicks too."
"The grass in that area grows best, and there are a lot of bugs. I finished catching them yesterday, but there are a lot more today."
Su Sanmei thought about how she caught insects every day and couldn't help but be happy. She would catch them clean every time and there would be a lot of insects there again the next day. Their rooster and hen loved them.
Su Sanlang returned very quickly. He looked at Madam Zhao and said, "Darling, there are quite a lot of worms in that area. The earthworms are especially fat. There's nothing else. It's just earthworms and crickets. It's nothing special. Don't worry."
Madam Zhao also felt at ease. It was good that he did not find anything bad.
As for the rest, they would just take it as a gift from the heavens.
With his heart at ease, Su Sanlang felt more relaxed at work.
For the next few days, Su Sanlang led Su Chong and Su Hua to concentrate on flipping the soil.
On the 22nd of August, at noon, Su Sanmei noticed something strange when she was feeding the rabbits. The gray rabbit did not eat grass and lay motionless in its nest.
Out of curiosity, Su Sanmei poked the gray rabbit with her stick. After the gray rabbit jumped away, Su Sanmei exclaimed, "Ah—"
When Madam Zhao heard this, she thought that something had happened. She hurriedly shouted for Su Sanmei, "Sanmei, what's wrong? What happened?"
Su Sanmei replied loudly in surprise, "Mother, the gray rabbit gave birth to a bunny."
When Madam Zhao heard this, she also smiled and said, "It's noon. Go and tell your father about it and ask him to come back to take a rest."
Su Sanmei nodded happily and ran out, smiling.
Soon Su Sanlang, Su Chong, and Su Hua returned. They were also happy to know that the gray rabbit had given birth to a baby rabbit. They would not have to sell this gray rabbit and could raise it.
If there were any other male rabbits, they could keep and raise one male and one female.
The days were looking more and more promising. Even digging in the fields felt more and more exciting to Su Sanlang.
On the 29th of August, after digging for ten days, they finally dug out the four acres of land. There was a huge pile of weeds, and they had dried up after being in the sun for the past few days.
The grass and thorns that grew on the surrounding stem had also been dug clean.
Today, after burning all those weeds, Su Sanlang was in a good mood. He would pack up today and go into town tomorrow.
Chapter 27: HopeTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Having cleaned up the land, Su Sanlang returned home for a rare day off.
Madam Zhao's body had recovered. During this period of time, they had caught prey one after another. Some of them were kept at home, while others were killed for the family to eat.
With meat, the family's complexion improved visibly.
The children were no longer skinny and their faces were no longer dull.
Su Sanmei brought Su Chong and Su Hua to catch insects while Su Sanlang went into the house to chat with Madam Zhao.
Watching him sit down, Madam Zhao took out the clothes she had made and said, "Sanlang, I've made the clothes. You're going into town tomorrow. Try them on and see how they look."
Madam Zhao's stitches were very dense, and her clothes looked very good. She used the remaining cloth to make an additional piece for him. It was very fitting for him.
Su Sanlang smiled and said, "It's very suitable. Thank you, my dear."
Madam Zhao waved her hand. "It's no big deal, I'm merely just using my hands. These days have really been hard on you."
Su Sanlang did not find it hard. He felt that his heart was filled with sweetness.
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"Darling, after I sell these, I'll buy some rice and seeds. I'll scatter the seeds into the fields so that we won't have to worry about winter."
There were a total of 13 hares, eight pheasants and six turtledoves at home that could be sold. They were all catched over these few days. He could sell them for a lot of money.
There was not enough rice and grains at home. He had to buy some and store them away. This way, Madam Zhao would not have to worry.
Since Su Sanlang had already made up his mind, Madam Zhao was relieved. She nodded. "Alright, I'll listen to you."
With something to look forward to, the couple smiled at each other.
At this moment, no words were needed. Warmth filled their hearts.
Su Sanlang looked at Su Xiaolu on the side of the bed. The more he looked at her, the more he liked her. The little girl, who was almost a month old, was fair and soft. Her lively eyes could make one's heart melt.
"Simei, look at Daddy. Tap, tap, tap..."
Su Sanlang teased Su Xiaolu.
Su Xiaolu was very polite. She smiled and even made a happy sound.
She was almost a month old, but she had never heard her parents prepare a name for her. They only called her?Simei1, and Su Xiaolu was a little worried.
Speaking of which, she had never heard her parents call Su?Sanmei1?by her name either. They always called her Sanmei.
The eldest brother was called Chong, while the second brother was called Hua.
Thinking that the girls might not have a name, Su Xiaolu felt a little sad.
Su Sanlang teased Su Xiaolu, but Madam Zhao made him lie down and massaged his shoulders.
Just like that, Su Sanlang fell asleep comfortably, and Su Xiaolu quieted down obediently. Madam Zhao patted Su Xiaolu gently and said, "Simei, sleep with Daddy. Be good and don't disturb Daddy, okay? Daddy is too tired."
Madam Zhao said softly and gently. She looked at Su Sanlang with heartache.
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Of course, Su Xiaolu was very obedient. Her daily routine was to simply eat, drink, and sleep.
When Su Sanlang woke up, it was already afternoon. He rubbed his head. "Why didn't you wake me up?"
He had slept for four hours, what a waste of time.
Madam Zhao smiled gently and said, "You didn't sleep for long."
Su Sanlang knew she felt sorry for him. Without another word, he got up and went out.
Su Sanmei, Su Chong, and Su Hua were playing with rocks in the courtyard.
When Su Sanlang came out, Su Sanmei immediately stood up and said, "Father, you're awake."
Seeing how obedient she was, Su Sanlang reached out to stroke her hair and said, "It's fine. You can play with your brothers. It's still early. Daddy will cook."
As he spoke, Su Sanlang went to the chicken coop to check on the two chickens. The rooster was now in high spirits. Its crown was bright red and twice as big as before. When it saw Su Sanlang coming, it cooed.
On the other hand, the hen was squatting in the henhouse, watching Su's every move warily.
Su Sanlang smiled. He hadn't been picking up eggs in a while and there were already eleven in the chicken coop. The eggs were big and made the coop look full.
Before long, the eggs would begin to hatch into chicks.
Su Sanlang went to check on the animals again. They were all alive and kicking.
The first three rabbits they caught had even gained weight.
The gray rabbit had given birth to a total of eight bunnies. Five were gray, two were gray-black, and one was white. They looked extremely cute. There was still a lot of unfinished grass in the cage.
After looking around, Su Sanlang went to clear the pots and pans for cooking.
As the sky darkened, Su Sanlang called for the three children to wash their hands and eat.
The children, as always, enjoyed the modest meal.
After dinner, Su Sanlang told them to wash up and go to bed. He had to go to Goathorn town tomorrow, so he had to sleep early.
On the 30th of August, Su Sanlang got up before dawn and warmed food in the pot. Then he packed the wild animals in a sack.
Before he left, he went into the house and said to Madam Zhao, "Darling, I'll go now. If there's anything, get the three children to help you."
Madam Zhao nodded. "Sanlang, be careful on the way."
Su Xiaolu gave a timely cry as a blessing to her father.
Su Sanlang felt a warmth in his heart and left after praising how obedient his daughter was.
The nearly a hundred catties of wildlife were a promising future for the family.
Su Sanlang had remembered what Butler Sun said, so after paying the entrance fee, he went straight to the Sun residence.
He did not know how much wild animals the Sun residence could buy. In any case, he would sell as much as he could.
When he reached the back door where Butler Sun had brought him the last time, Su Sanlang raised his hand and knocked. A manservant answered the door. He glanced at Su Sanlang and said, "Who are you looking for?"
Su Sanlang revealed a gentle smile and said, "I'm here to sell wild animals. I've come here before. Please inform Butler Sun. Last time, Butler Sun said that the wild animals I caught were very good. He said that I should come to the Sun residence first next time."
When the servant heard this, he said, "Alright, wait for me. I'll inform them."
Su Sanlang smiled and nodded. "Sure thing."
Su Sanlang didn't have to wait long before the manservant came out with someone else.
The person was holding a knife, and there was blood on his hand. Su Sanlang immediately recognized him as the 'Old Fu' Butler Sun had mentioned last time. Butler Sun had not come, so he might not be in the residence.
Su Sanlang smiled and said, "Fu, do you remember me? I came to deliver wild rabbits, pheasants, and wild chestnuts before."
Sun Fu remembered. He looked at the basket on Su Sanlang's back. "You brought a lot this time?"
Su Sanlang nodded. "I caught some recently. I didn't come to town these days because I was flipping the soil at home, so I brought them all today. They're all alive and energetic."
Sun Fu's expression was calm. "Then come in first. I'll say this first. Butler Sun just bought some wild animals today. You might not sell much. Let's see if the goods are good first."
It wasn't a definite yes, but Su Sanlang wasn't discouraged by it. "No problem," he replied with a smile.
Last time, he was lucky to sell them all at once. This time, there were so many of them. He did not expect the Sun family to buy them all.
Chapter 28: The Sun Residence Will Buy Them AllTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After following Sun Fu to the kitchen yard, Su Sanlang put down the back basket, opened the sack, and grabbed the pheasants and hares.
Although their bound feet limited their range of movement, it didn't stop them from being active.
It was obvious from the way the fur was glossy that these animals were good.
Compared to the other three hares and two pheasants in the corner of the yard, the difference was like heaven and earth.
Sun Fu looked at Su Sanlang and asked, "You said you kept it for a while, right?"
Su Sanlang nodded.
Sun Fu looked at Su Sanlang and praised him from the bottom of his heart, "Then your skills are really good. These wild things are just not willing to be raised by others. I've seen them getting worse the more they are raised, but it's rare to see them getting better the more they are raised. These things are really good, but there's a little too much. Wait here. I'll go ask and come over to calculate the price with you."
If it were just a few, Sun Fu would make the decision to buy them all. However, since there were so many of them, he wasn't sure. He decided to ask.
Su Sanlang smiled and nodded. "Okay, I'll wait here."
Sun Fu went into the kitchen to wash his hands, then carried a rabbit to the front yard.
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Su Sanlang waited quietly on the spot.
Not long after, Sun Fu returned with the rabbit with a smile on his face. Before he walked in, he started shouting, "Li, Zhou, come out and help weigh it."
With that, Sun Fu smiled and said to Su Sanlang, "Congratulations. The family head has spoken. He wants all of them. If you catch anything else in the future, send them here first. If nothing goes wrong, our Sun family will buy them all."
Su Sanlang was just as happy. "Okay, okay," he replied with a smile.
If he could sell them all at once, he wouldn't have to sell them elsewhere. He could shop early and go home. Su Sanlang couldn't be happier.
He helped weigh them. The thirteen rabbits weighed 70 catties, while the eight pheasants weighed 31 catties and the six turtledoves weighed three catties.
Sun Fu smiled and said, "Let's go with the same price as last time. I'll calculate these turtledoves for you at the same price. Is that ok?"
Su Sanlang nodded. "Sure, no problem."
Sun Fu said, "The rabbits weigh 70 catties, the pheasants weigh 31 catties, and the turtledoves weigh three catties. That's a total of 104 catties for 25 copper coins per catty. That's exactly 2,600 copper coins."
After Sun Fu finished calculating, he started counting the money.
Two taels of silver and six hundred copper coins fell into Su Sanlang's hands. They were heavy. He smiled foolishly. That's a lot of money. He can buy a lot of rice and cloth, and they won't have to starve or freeze.
"Master Fu, I'll go back first. My family is still waiting for me."
Su Sanlang smiled as he spoke.
Sun Fu looked at Su Sanlang and nodded. "Alright, go back then. I have to get busy too."
Sun Fu had already taken out his knife to catch a rabbit. With a swift slash, he suddenly looked at Su Sanlang and said, "Look at my memory. You can find the way out of the residence, right? I don't have time to lead you out."
Sun Fu pressed the rabbit to receive the rabbit's blood steadily. When the rabbit's blood dripped into the bowl, not a single drop spilled outside.
Su Sanlang nodded, amazed. "I can find it."
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With that, he turned around and left the residence.
With the heavy money in his pocket, he thought for a moment and took out twenty copper coins. When he reached the back door, he gave it to the manservant at the door. Su Sanlang said, "You've worked hard, brother. I hope you don't mind this small amount."
Twenty copper coins wasn't a lot, but it wasn't a small amount either. After all, Su Sanlang wasn't exactly rich.
The servant immediately put on a smile and respectfully sent Su Sanlang out the door. He also wished him luck on the way out.
Su Sanlang smiled and said goodbye to the manservant. He was doing this to please the manservant, naturally, so that the next time he came, things would go smoother.
Although the servant was inconspicuous, he was very useful.
Su Sanlang's generosity also made the servant have a good impression of him. As he watched Su Sanlang leave, he thought to himself, the next time this person comes, I'll report it early. He won't forget me after selling his things. He's much better than other hunters. It's better than nothing. No matter how little it was, it's still money'
Su Sanlang went to the grain store.
White rice cost 16 copper coins per catty. Corn cost 8 copper coins per catty. White flour cost 17 copper coins per catty.
Su Sanlang had a clear goal. He smiled gently and said, "Boss, I want to buy 100 catties of grain and vegetable seeds. Can you give me a discount?"
The shop assistant smiled and said, "I'll give you a copper coin cheaper at most for a catty. Do you want it?"
Su Sanlang smiled and nodded. "Yes. I want fifty catties of white rice, fifty catties of corn, and five catties of white flour. As for vegetable seeds, two taels will do."
The shop assistant smiled and nimbly fiddled with the abacus. As he calculated, he said, "A total of 750 copper coins for 50 catties of white rice at 15 copper coins per catty. A total of 350 copper coins for 50 catties of corn at 7 copper coins per catty. A total of 80 copper coins for 5 catties of white flour at 16 copper coins per catty. I'll charge you five copper coins for two taels of vegetable seeds. That's 1,185 copper coins in total."
After saying that, he smiled and said to Su Sanlang, "Sir, do the math yourself and see if there's anything wrong."
Su Sanlang did his own mental calculations. He was slow, but the clerk didn't rush him.
Su Sanlang did the math and found nothing wrong. "That's right," he said.
With that, he paid the sum.
The shop assistant also began to weigh his food. Soon, three large pockets were filled and placed in Su Sanlang's basket.
Two taels of vegetable seeds were also among them.
He even had 1495 copper coins left. Su Sanlang shouldered his basket, ready to buy some candy before heading home.
With so much food, the clerk even kindly helped him up and said with a smile, "Take care, sir."
Su Sanlang then spent another ten copper coins on a few small pieces of candy before returning home with the rest of the money.
This time, it was only noon when he returned to the village. At this time, most people were at home.
They still greeted Su Sanlang warmly when they saw him. Su Sanlang knew very well that they just wanted to know where he got the money to buy food.
Su Sanlang only smiled and did not answer. Since he did not answer, the people who asked understood and did not ask anymore.
When they passed by the Su family, Madam Wang's expression was extremely ugly. "Where did you get the money from? Did you steal from the family?"
Madam Wang stared at Su Sanlang's basket with hatred in her eyes.
Su Sanlang's heart went cold. He said coldly, "When I moved, didn't Mother watch over me personally? Did I have a chance to steal the family's money?"
Su Sanlang did not want to say anything more to Madam Wang. He walked straight past the house that made him sad. This was no longer his home. His home was at the back of the village.
Madam Wang felt very upset when she heard Su Sanlang's cold words to her. She immediately cursed, "How heartless. You have money but would rather spend it outside than come to our house to buy food. I've raised you for so many years all for nothing. The heavens are blind. How can such a heartless person not die?!"
Madam Wang's vicious curses did not make Su Sanlang stop. Su Sanlang quickly disappeared from Madam Wang's sight. Madam Wang cursed angrily for a while, but no matter how much she cursed, she could not affect Su Sanlang.
Chapter 29: Sweetness TogetherTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When Su Sanlang returned home, the three children immediately surrounded him and helped him with the basket and the food.
The warmth of the small family quickly brushed away the sadness in Su Sanlang's heart.
After putting all the food away, Su Sanlang went into the back room.
Seeing that Madam Zhao was making quilts, Su Sanlang smiled and said, "Darling, let me tell you, I went to the Sun residence as soon as I entered the city today. I thought that the Sun residence would not be able to buy everything, but in the end, the Sun residence bought everything in one go."
"We're so lucky. I bought grains and vegetable seeds. I'll go and sow the seeds later."
Su Sanlang happily shared his joy with Madam Zhao. Looking at Madam Zhao's sparkling eyes, he felt extremely satisfied.
Madam Zhao smiled and nodded. "That's great."
She was relieved, too, and no longer afraid of the winter.
Su Sanlang smiled and took out a paper bag from his pocket. He said to Su Sanmei and her siblings, "Come over. Father even bought candy today."
Upon hearing that there was candy, Su Chong and Su Hua happily surrounded him and swallowed their saliva, revealing their desire.
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There were twelve pieces of candy, each one the size of half a child's finger.
Su Sanlang grabbed two pieces and placed them in Madam Zhao's hands. He handed the rest to Su Sanmei and said, "There are still ten pieces left. Three of you will take three pieces each. The extra piece is for Sanmei."
Su Chong and Su Hua had no objections. They were never greedy. After taking a piece from Su Sanmei and putting it in their mouths, they stopped staring at the candy wrapper.
Madam Zhao took a piece and put it in her mouth. She picked up another piece and fed it to Su Sanlang. She said, "Sanlang, you eat it too. We'll each have a piece. We'll taste the sweetness together."
Su Sanlang looked at Madam Zhao's hopeful and warm eyes. He could not reject her at all, so he opened his mouth and ate the candy.
The sweet taste filled his mouth.
Su Sanlang smiled back as his family laughed.
In the afternoon, Su Sanlang went to sow the vegetables in the field.
The barren land only had a layer of vegetation ash. He wondered if the vegetables would grow well.
After planting the vegetables, Su Sanlang went to fetch water to water them.
He had not asked the three children to help with this small matter.
Su Chong, Su Hua, and Su Sanmei were either pulling grass, catching insects, feeding chickens and rabbits, or playing with rocks in the courtyard.
Su Sanlang rested when he was tired, and his mood lightened as he watched the three children's happy smiles.
At dusk, smoke rose from every house in the village, and Su Sanlang went home to cook too.
The days passed uneventfully. In early September, Su Sanlang brought his two sons into the mountains every day to chop firewood and filled the courtyard with the firewood.
In the past ten days, they had still caught a lot of prey and raised them.
On the 12th of September, Madam Zhao came out of confinement. She refused to lie in bed anymore.
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The sun was shining brightly. Madam Zhao wrapped Su Xiaolu up tightly and said, "Sanlang, I've already recovered. As you said, there's not much work at home. I'll wash your clothes and cook for you. I'm not tired."
Unable to dissuade her, Su Sanlang had no choice but to give in.
Madam Zhao carried Su Xiaolu out to bask in the sun. This was also Su Xiaolu's first time going out.
The world was clear and bright. Madam Zhao went out and stuffed Su Xiaolu into Su Sanlang's arms.
Su Sanlang carried her carefully, while Madam Zhao was already walking towards the chicken coop. The chicken coop was fenced up by Su Sanlang, and even the rabbits were kept inside.
When Madam Zhao opened the door and entered, she said, "I've long wanted to come out and take a look. It's been a while since the hen started nesting. I wonder how many of them will hatch."
Two days ago, the hen had stopped laying eggs. There were a total of 16 eggs in the hen coop.
When the hen saw Madam Zhao, it cooed warily.
Madam Zhao was not afraid at all. She reached under the hen's wings and quickly lifted it up. Then, she began to check the eggs.
The 16 eggs were all very big and filled the entire nest. Madam Zhao only looked at two or three eggs before she counted and said, "Sanlang, this nest of eggs is not bad. There should be twelve or thirteen that can hatch."
Su Sanlang smiled. "Are you relieved now?"
Madam Zhao smiled, embarrassed. "I am."
The rooster and hen had grown several times larger and were in good spirits. Even if the hen nested, it never went hungry.
Su Sanmei, Su Chong, and Su Hua were pulling the grass and catching insects. When they saw Madam Zhao come out, they were very happy. They ran to Madam Zhao's side and hugged her, calling sweetly, "Mother, Mother."
Madam Zhao stroked their hair and praised, "Good children."
The three siblings were delighted to be praised.
"You've grown taller and more energetic."
Madam Zhao's gaze was gentle. In the past, when she touched the children's hair, their hair was always dry like straw. But now, when she caressed the hair of the children, she felt that it was smooth.
She took a closer look at the three children. Su Chong and Su Hua still looked innocent and ignorant. They hugged her hand and wheedled. Their complexions were much better than before.
Su Sanmei had also gained some weight. Her face was no longer yellow and was gradually turning fairer. Her oval face and big eyes were very beautiful.
How nice,?Madam Zhao thought.
"Sanlang, you've worked hard."
Madam Zhao looked at Su Sanlang. He had become much darker and was no different from before. He had worked the hardest in the past month.
Su Sanlang smiled and said, "What's so hard for me? Let's go and take a look at what I've caught. Darling, I've already planned everything. When I fence up the courtyard, I'll bring Chong and Hua to set a few more traps and try to catch more to sell before it snows."
The courtyard was an acre big. After cleaning it up and fencing it, they can build a small shed and store firewood. The empty shed would be used to dry the grains in the future.
"Okay."
Madam Zhao's eyes reddened as she followed Su Sanlang around the house.
Behind the house, Su Sanlang had fenced up a small area to raise pheasants and hares. The captured turtledoves were kept in cages.
The yard had a pile of firewood that would keep them warm through the winter.
One could imagine what it would be like when the small courtyard was fenced up in the future.
Looking at the three happy children, determination rose in Madam Zhao's heart. She would definitely protect their home with Su Sanlang!
At night, Madam Zhao helped to cook.
The cooking was no different from Su Sanlang's. It was still rice and corn ground together and cooked together. Then, the dried vegetable soup was eaten as it was.
Even if it was dry food that was not delicious, it was still rare. Madam Zhao and Su Sanlang both told the three children to eat more.
Madam Zhao wanted to help Su Sanlang surround the courtyard, so the task of taking care of Su Xiaolu fell on Su Sanmei.
Su Sanmei held Su Xiaolu and could not help but kiss her many times. "Simei, you smell so good."
Su Sanmei felt that there was a faint fragrance on Su Xiaolu's body. Madam Zhao said that it was the fragrance of milk. Su Sanmei did not know what that was. She only knew that it smelled good.
Su Xiaolu hoped that Su Sanmei would take her because Su Sanmei would carry her around the house. This was much more comfortable than just staying in the room.
Hence, Su Xiaolu, who didn't like to cry, began to cry.
Chapter 30: Likes Water VatsTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Within a few days, Su Sanmei figured out Su Xiaolu's temper.
If she cried but didn't poop, then that meant she wanted to go out for a walk.
Su Sanmei realized that Su Xiaolu liked to look at the broken water vat at home. Every time Su Xiaolu cried, she had to play by the water tank.
"Simei, why do you like this vat so much? There's nothing to see."
Su Sanmei was puzzled.
Su Xiaolu moved her hand. She didn't like the water vat in particular. She just wanted to put her finger in it and let some of the spiritual spring water flow into the water tank. There was no harm in it because everyone in the family used this water.
However, Su Sanmei did not understand what she meant. She just held her and stood by the side of the vat every time.
"Huh."
Su Sanmei looked down at the vat and noticed her reflection in the water. She found it strange and squatted down to look.
She didn't notice that Su Xiaolu's fingers had finally reached into the water vat.
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The spiritual spring water from the Space flowed into the water vat.
"So you wanted to see your own shadow, Simei. That's clever, but you're too young to get too close. Vats can be dangerous."
With that, Su Sanmei stood up with Su Xiaolu in her arms.
Su Xiaolu retracted her hand. She did it. If she couldn't look, so be it.
Su Sanmei carried Su Xiaolu to the courtyard to bask in the sun. The early winter sun felt comfortable on her body. Su Xiaolu loved the sun.
After a while, she felt a shadow. Su Xiaolu thought that the sky was dark. She opened her eyes and saw that her brothers were looking at her curiously.
"Simei, I'm Big Brother."
Su Chong said.
"Simei, I'm Second Brother."
Su Hua said.
Su Xiaolu smiled at the two of them, making Su Chong and Su Hua laugh.
"Simei is so beautiful. She must be a deity."
Su Chong praised her from the bottom of his heart. He had never seen anyone more beautiful than his fourth sister, so she must be a deity.
Su Hua nodded in agreement. "Deity sister, hehe."
Su Sanmei smiled and said seriously, "Simei is not a deity. She was born of a mother. Like us, she is the child of our mother and father."
Su Chong and Su Hua did not understand. They did not care to listen either. They firmly believed that such a beautiful sister was a deity.
When Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao heard this conversation, they looked at each other and smiled.
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Su Sanlang said, "Darling, maybe our Simei is really a deity."
Madam Zhao smiled helplessly. "Sanlang, you believe what the children say?"
Su Sanlang said seriously, "Darling, there's a basis for what I'm saying. Look, she cried non-stop when you were in danger after giving birth. Also, Sanmei often washed diapers there and that area is filled with worms and grass. It made our livestock grow well. Anyway, I believe Simei is a deity."
Su Sanlang was really convinced. He felt that ever since this daughter came along, the family's situation had improved bit by bit, and the family did not have to worry about food.
Madam Zhao smiled and said, "I hope Simei is blessed."
It was good to be lucky. In the future, if she found a good family, she would not have to worry about food. A woman's life was like seeds that had been blown away by the wind. She would grow well if she lands at a good place and would live a bitter life otherwise.
Su Sanlang smiled. "She must be."
Thinking about the future made Su Sanlang's hands feel stronger. This family was becoming more and more like a home.
"Darling, I'll go into town again tomorrow and exchange those wild animals for money."
Thinking about the group of animals behind the house, Su Sanlang's voice was filled with joy. After accumulating for more than ten days, he had gathered more than a hundred catties of wild animals.
Madam Zhao nodded. "Okay."
With a gate left open, the entire courtyard was completely surrounded.
It was cold, and the family went to bed as soon as it was dark.
On the 19th of September, Su Sanlang woke up before dawn. Madam Zhao also got up gently to help clean up.
Su Sanlang said in a low voice, "Darling, after we sell these, if we catch more in the future, we'll keep some at home. I'll buy some salt, and we'll marinate the meat and make it into cured meat. Next year, we can also buy a small pig to raise."
Madam Zhao smiled and replied, "Alright, I'll listen to you."
With that, Madam Zhao went to get their money box and prepared to give the hundreds of copper coins she had saved to Su Sanlang. Su Sanlang only took two coins. He smiled and said, "I don't need money. Put it away properly. When we have more, I want to take Chong and Hua to town to see a doctor."
These words touched Madam Zhao's heart, and she instantly teared up.
Su Sanlang wiped away her tears and said gently, "Darling, we'll get better and better. These days, I think Chong and Hua have become much smarter. Perhaps there's still a chance, so let's save this money well and try to bring them to see a doctor as soon as possible."
Madam Zhao nodded. "Yes."
Su Sanlang carried the heavy basket on his back and left. Madam Zhao sent him off with tears in her eyes. When she could no longer see Su Sanlang's back, Madam Zhao returned to the house.
She hid the money box well. It was the hope of her two sons.
Madam Zhao tidied up the house. Small vegetable seedlings had also started growing in the four acres of land at the back of the house and had to be watered every day. Madam Zhao even asked Su Sanlang to make a urine bucket to collect manure and fertilize the crops.
Su Sanlang entered town and went straight to the Sun residence as usual.
When the servant saw him, he greeted him familiarly and said, "Brother, you're finally here. The goods you brought were really good. My master can't even stand others' anymore. Butler Sun and Uncle Fu have come to ask me about you several times."
Su Sanlang had not been here for twenty days.
Su Sanlang smiled and said, "I was busy at home, so I didn't come into town."
Seeing the heavy basket on his back, the servant smiled and said, "Alright, quickly go into the residence. Uncle Fu already said that if you come again, I don't have to report. Just send the things to the kitchen for him to take a look at."
Su Sanlang was also happy. "Alright, then. Brother, you can go ahead. I'll go over now," he replied.
The servant smiled and nodded, feeling very happy. Previously, Sun Fu and Butler Sun had already instructed him. As long as he saw Su Sanlang, he would welcome him into the house. If the master gave out an award, he would get some too.
The servant called Su Sanlang his God of Fortune. Su Sanlang's money was nothing. The head of the family's award would be much greater. Therefore, the servant decided to build a good relationship with Su Sanlang.
Su Sanlang went straight to the kitchen yard. The kitchen was busy, and curses could be heard from time to time.
"Get the fire going. What did I teach you? The taste of this dish is about to dissipate. Even dogs wouldn't eat something that tastes bad!"
"Cut the vegetables faster. Do you still want to eat? All of you are terrible at cooking. When can you graduate?"
Sun Fu had a fiery temper and the kitchen was filled with oil and smoke. He simply left the kitchen and saw Su Sanlang when he came out. The frustrated Sun Fu immediately smiled and walked towards Su Sanlang.
"It's been a long time, brother. Did you find other buyers?"
As Sun Fu greeted him, he sized up Su Sanlang.