Ye Wenxue breathed a sigh of relief, picked up Yuanyuan, found a comfortable position for both of them, and teased her gently:

"The little sleepyhead has finally woken up."

Yuanyuan couldn't understand what she was saying, and kept tugging at Ye Wenxue's palm with her little hands, as if wondering what she was looking at.

Ye Wenxue smiled and opened one hand, but before Xiao Yuanyuan could see the treasure hidden in her palm, she closed it again and clenched her fist.

Yuan Yuan blinked slowly, "Huh?"

Ye Wenxue chuckled and leaned in to kiss the round, soft little face.

The two had just walked around the room twice when Dazhuang came in carrying a bowl and holding an oil lamp.

The three little ones following behind each carried a bowl, their small faces full of excitement.

Siwang placed the bowl on the crooked table. The shallow bowl contained a few bits of vegetable leaves and grains of rice.

He smiled and spoke in riddles: "Mother, guess what we found?"

Ye Wenxue fed Yuanyuan and asked, following Siwang's words, "Hmm... dry rations?"

Just as Siwang was about to speak, his sisters beat him to it.

She stretched out one hand and placed five copper coins on the table:

"No, we found five copper coins hidden in the woodpile!"

As she spoke, she glanced at Dazhuang, who had turned and gone to the kitchen to bring out two more bowls of rice porridge:

"But my elder brother said this was inappropriate."

That's what they said, but my older brother didn't stop me from taking it; he was just very conflicted.

Ye Wenxue looked at Dazhuang, who was frowning.

After finishing his drink in a few gulps, the older child wiped his mouth, puffed out his cheeks, and said, "Dad said that taking things without asking is theft."

The act of robbing criminals in the afternoon was different from what we are doing now.