Chapter 102 The Third Child Feels a Little Guilty

Hearing the sounds of pigs being slaughtered outside, Chen Feng angrily thrashed about inside the thatched hut.

She put on her shoes and went outside, quietly digging out the talisman from behind the door.

I looked at it carefully, and it seemed no different from the previous one, so why wasn't it working?

Lately, the eldest son seems to have developed a rebellious streak, constantly going against her and even hitting her.

He didn't stop Sanwa from beating him like that last night.

She was so angry that she sat on the ground and cried for a while before burying the talisman back.

The child was crying loudly on the kang (a heated brick bed). Looking at the sky outside, it was time to make lunch.

She smelled the aroma of meat wafting in from outside, and her heart bled.

Yesterday, those pigs were clearly hers, but now the freshly slaughtered pork smells especially delicious, so she has no appetite for coarse grain noodles.

What's infuriating is that Jiang Yeming hasn't come back yet. Is he really not going to take care of the mother and child?

Song Chunxue passed by the entrance of the thatched kiln carrying a large basket. She didn't hear Chen Feng cursing, which showed that she was sensible.

Upon arriving in the kitchen, she stir-fried the cooked pork ribs with scallions and garlic, and then stir-fried blanched potato and radish slices with fatty pork.

For farmers who rarely see oily food, it was a heavenly delicacy, and everyone ate with great satisfaction.

After the meal, Xia Ying's husband, Li Yong, was about to leave. Song Chunxue packed him two pieces of meat, one raw and one cooked.

"Take this back and let the children have a treat, and tell Xia Ying not to complain that it's not enough." Song Chunxue found some paper, wrapped it up, and handed it to Li Yong.

Li Yong repeatedly declined, saying, "You have a large family, so there's no need to give me any. I'm full, so you can take it back."

"Take it, you have three kids, it'll be enough for two meals." With that, Song Chunxue forced the meat into his hands. "We'll be relatives from now on, don't be shy."

Li Yong did not refuse again and left with the meat.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud came from inside the thatched kiln.

It's likely that Chen Feng got so angry that she threw something away.

They were standing outside the gate when they spoke, less than ten meters away from the entrance of the thatched kiln, so Chen Feng could definitely hear them clearly.

She must be so angry right now that she wants to eat Song Chunxue alive.

Being in a good mood, Song Chunxue ignored her and turned to go to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

We also need to pack some food for Jiang Hongying. Since the journey is long, it shouldn't be too heavy, so we should pack the lighter items.

They must have wheat flour and mixed grain flour at home, so after thinking it over, Song Chunxue decided that it was more practical to use meat instead.

It's hot now, so the meat will definitely have an odor if I take it home. I'll need to sprinkle more salt on it.

She also made two pairs of shoes and a dress for Xiujuan, and gave Hongying fifty copper coins.

Hongying's home is very close to the market, and she occasionally goes out to satisfy her cravings when she has money.

The thought that she couldn't be there when Hongying gave birth made Song Chunxue very sad.

She then rummaged through her tattered trunk and pulled out three feet of white cloth that she had been reluctant to use.

Postpartum care is troublesome for women, and it's even more troublesome if it's not done well. Hongying can sew some new menstrual belts from these cloths, which will be good for her health.

This is why, although she threatened to kick Chen Feng out, she didn't actually do so.

Having lived a lifetime, died once, and seen that world, one cannot help but believe in cause and effect and reincarnation.

If she weren't afraid of the consequences falling on Hongying, she wouldn't have tolerated Chen Feng's outrageous behavior time and time again.

*

In the afternoon, Sanwa drove the sheep up the mountain and returned as dusk approached.

He had just closed the sheepfold gate when he saw the eldest son returning on the path above the sheepfold, carrying a shovel.

Sanwa stood still, having done so much, he didn't want to go against the boss.

But he didn't blame the boss.

Being with a woman like Chen Feng, the boss is actually quite pitiful.

He has been pampered all these years, but Sanwa is not so envious of him.

He didn't want to be a spoiled child who would be cruelly tormented by fate.

After the eldest brother's footsteps faded into the distance, the third brother walked back along the courtyard wall and heard noises coming from the thatched kiln at the gate.

"Why are you only coming back from the dead now?"

It was Chen Feng's voice.

"You want to get beaten up? Try touching me again and see what happens!" The boss's voice was filled with anger.

Fearing he might get himself into trouble, Sanwa quickly went into the yard and closed the door.

The room in the north wing was dimly lit by an oil lamp, but cheerful laughter could be heard coming from inside.

The fourth brother and his sister were chatting about something. Their mother was asking the sister if she wanted anything else to bring. He Chuan was saying that the third brother seemed to have returned.

The next moment, the curtain was lifted from the inside, and his mother smiled when she saw him.

"Sanwa's back, come and eat. Your brother-in-law said he wanted to eat jiaotuan (a type of porridge), so I made a lot, just waiting for you to come back." As she spoke, Song Chunxue handed him a pair of chopsticks.

Sanwa smiled as he took the chopsticks, tucked them under his arm, and turned to wash his face in the basin.

"Uncle Shan".

Xiujuan walked up to Sanwa in her childish voice, her pronunciation still inaccurate, and looked up at him with her round head, saying, "Eat, eat."

This adorable little girl is going home tomorrow. She probably understands that she'll be leaving soon, looking at this and that all the time.

"Xiujuan, come here, your third uncle will hold you."

Sanwa picked up the little girl, placed her on his lap, picked up a piece of porridge, blew on it, and brought it to her mouth.

"Hmm." Xiujuan opened her mouth wide, puffed out her cheeks, and looked at Sanwa with a shake of her head.

An oil lamp sat in the center of the dining table; it could be blown out with a single breath, and its silvery light swayed gently as everyone spoke.

For some reason, Sanwa felt a little sad.

So much has happened this year; the Jiang family has never been so lively.

My second brother isn't home; it feels like something's missing.

The eldest son was outside the door; he knew his mother wanted him to eat meat.

But the eldest son is Chen Feng's family, so even if she couldn't bear it, she couldn't bring herself to say it.

Before long, he finished one bowl and got up to go to the kitchen to get another one.

A short while later, the mother entered the house.

Sanwa looked at the cooked meat on the table, then at Song Chunxue.

No one knows a child better than their mother. Sanwa was the most kind-hearted and gentlest of the children, so how could she not see what he was thinking?

Song Chunxue said nothing, served herself a bowl of buckwheat noodles, and turned to leave.

Encouraged, Sanwa took a large porcelain plate, picked out a large piece of pork belly and two pieces of lean meat with bones from the basin, and turned to leave the yard.

As he reached the door, he suddenly realized that the pieces of meat he had chosen were clearly reserved on purpose, having been stir-fried with soy sauce.

He shook his head and smiled, thinking that his mother was probably waiting for him to deliver it to his older brother.

He gently opened the courtyard gate and came to the outside of the thatched kiln.

"Knock knock knock".

"Who is it?" the boss's voice came from inside.

"It's me," Sanwa said softly. "Open the door."

The eldest brother opened the door a crack, looking somewhat impatient. "What?"

Sanwa held out the plate in his hand, "Want some?"

The eldest brother looked at the thing in his hand in surprise, then regained his composure.

"I'll get a bowl." With that, the eldest brother stretched out of the doorway with an empty porcelain basin in both hands.

Sanwa poured the meat into the basin and turned to leave.

This time, Jiang Yeming closed the door very quietly.

Sanwa quickly went to the kitchen and brought his own jiaotuan (a type of porridge) to the kitchen.

Everyone looked at him.

Sanwa felt a little guilty.

"Where have you been?" the fourth brother asked while shoveling rice into his mouth.

"I took a piss." Sanwa sat on the stool, his expression normal, and picked up a large piece of potato slices stir-fried with meat and put it in his mouth.

Jiang Hongying smiled at Song Chunxue without saying a word, then lowered her head and took a sip of soup. "Mmm, Mother's jiaotuan is still the best. I'm going to have an extra bowl tonight."

"Eat up, you can finish everything in the pot," Song Chunxue smiled.