“Father,” Huang Qing’s voice trembled slightly, “Our family is so rich, we clearly don’t need another child to eat, so why… why can’t you lend a hand?”

He felt horrified whenever he thought about what Lai Zi had gone through.

If Lai Zi hadn't been so lucky, he probably would have met his maker long ago.

"How should we put this?" Chief Huang remained silent for a long time before speaking. "Some rules cannot be broken. It's easy to raise one scoundrel, but how can our family raise ten or eight scoundrels?"

The year was turbulent; who knew how many more scoundrels would appear?

"So you're just going to stand by and watch Lai Zi suffer like this?" Huang Qing roared, his eyes red, like a small animal that had suffered a huge blow. "Father, you're so cruel."

Snap!

Huang Qing's face swelled up quickly, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

"Huang Qing, you're already twenty-three years old. Can you stop being so naive? Do you think you're any better off than Lai Zi in the same situation? Lai Zi's fate was sealed the moment his father died. Do the math yourself. Over the years, out of all the orphans in Huangjiakou, how many have actually survived?"

"Instead of wasting food on those who are destined to die young, it's better to let you brothers have a few more bites."

Even now, Chief Huang still doesn't regret his choice.

Over the past twenty years, there have been more than a dozen orphans in Huangjiakou, and perhaps only Lai Zi has survived.

They died of starvation, disease, drowning, poisoning...

Without anyone to protect you, how difficult it is to truly survive!

Seeing his distraught son, Chief Huang softened. "Qing'er, the cruelty of the world is beyond your imagination. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Think it over carefully. I'm leaving now."

After Chief Huang left, Huang Qing squatted down, arms crossed, looking helpless.

It turns out that so much filth was hidden beneath the calm surface of Huangjiakou.

It's so cruel that it makes you want to run away!

But he didn't even have the right to complain.

No matter how he tries to justify it, he can't escape the fact that he was the beneficiary.

Overnight, all my beliefs collapsed...

The next day, as soon as it was light, Jiang Nuan went into the kitchen to make breakfast.

“Mother,” came Wang’s gentle voice, “You go and rest, I’ll make breakfast.”

“I’m going to make egg pancakes, you’ve never made them before,” Jiang Nuan said, quickly cracking the eggs into a bowl. She continued, “Han Yi sent over some white fungus, take it and soak it, then make a red date and white fungus soup.”

"Aren't you going to make millet and red date porridge anymore?"

“I’m not making it anymore,” Jiang Nuan wrinkled her nose. “I’ve been eating it for a while now, so I’m going to change things up today. White fungus is nourishing and good for your health.”

"I wonder if Brother Lai will come," Wang said with some worry. "And I wonder if he's even come out yet?"

“Don’t worry,” Jiang Nuan said without stopping her work. “He’s stronger than anyone else, nothing will happen to him.”

As the two were talking, a voice called from outside the door, "Auntie, come open the door, I've come to mooch a meal."

"See?" Jiang Nuan shrugged. "I knew it would be like this. Go open the door for him, I'll soak the white fungus."

If you were really that sentimental, how could you grow up alone?

Which orphan doesn't have an indomitable spirit?

"Brother Laizi," Wang Shi said, seeing Laizi's grinning face, she immediately put aside her worries, "Come in quickly, I'll make you a cup of tea to refresh you."

"No need to be so polite," Lai Zi rushed over in two steps. "I'll go and light the fire for Auntie. Sister-in-law, you go about your business."

"Then hurry up," Jiang Nuan's voice came from the kitchen, "I'm going to make pancakes."