"Mom, is your back better?"
Seeing that Old Mrs. Han, who had been lying in bed groaning in pain just a few days ago, had suddenly recovered, Meng, the eldest daughter-in-law, curled her lips in disdain. Was this old lady just faking it?
"Eldest daughter-in-law, what do you mean?"
Grandma Han picked up her cane and smacked it with a loud crack, making the eldest son cry out in pain.
"I...Mom, I'm just happy, happy that you're finally better."
"Hmph, the third brother's family is heartless, and so are you."
Old Mrs. Han rolled her triangular eyes and said angrily, "And that house belongs to our village collectively. Why should everyone have a share, but our Han family doesn't? Han Qiang can't even be fair, what kind of village head is he?"
Having just been beaten yesterday, Han Datou remained on the kang (a heated brick bed), her head hanging low in guilt.
“I’m going over there to argue with them. These days, who doesn’t need food? If they don’t share their food with us, aren’t they trying to kill us?”
Seeing that Old Lady Han was about to storm out in anger, Han Datou hurriedly shouted, "Old woman, today is the last day. You should try to get thirty catties of grain first. Han Qiang is a ruthless guy. If he really sends us to jail, we'll be all doomed."
"What can I do? That brat Han Luoxue is valuable, but she's very shrewd. I can't just go and forcibly take her away."
Having suffered several losses at Han Luoxue's hands, Old Madam Han had finally figured things out. Rather than trying to sell Han Luoxue, it would be better to start with the other maids.
Besides the third son's family, she also had three granddaughters. Even if Butcher Liu was picky, he couldn't possibly dislike all three, could he? Even though it would only get him fifty catties of grain, it was better than letting his son go to jail and the whole family starve to death, right?
Old Mrs. Han's eyes darted around, her gaze frequently drifting towards the maids not far away. Aunt Meng, Han's eldest aunt, felt a chill run down her spine. She quietly slipped out, grabbed Han Juhua, and, ignoring her struggles, dragged her into her room.
"Mom, why are you pulling me? Be gentle, you're hurting my arm." Han Juhua cried out in pain.
Meng loosened her grip slightly, then tapped Han Juhua's head hard with her other hand, saying with exasperation, "What time is it and you're still only playing around? Don't you care what your grandma is saying? She's about to sell you to Butcher Liu, and you're still here, heartless and carefree."
"ah..."
Han Juhua stared wide-eyed in surprise, blinking in confusion. "No way, Mother. Wasn't Grandma going to give Han Luoxue to Butcher Liu? Why did she choose us?"
"You brat, don't you even think about it? Is Han Luoxue someone your grandma can touch now?"
Han Juhua turned pale with fright, her hands and feet trembling: "Then...what should I do? Mother, you have to save me. I don't want to be with Butcher Liu. She's a demon. I heard she tortures women to death and eats their flesh."
"I called you over here to tell you that if your grandma wants to take you to town later, you should find a way to decline. If you really can't refuse, at least make yourself look less attractive. That butcher Liu has said that she only wants a beautiful woman as a wife."
Han Juhua nodded repeatedly, but Meng Shi, still worried, instructed her, "Keep this a secret from everyone. Your grandmother and the others will definitely send one of the children away; it will be either you or one of them."
Time was of the essence, and Old Mrs. Han dared not delay. She called over the children, coaxing them that they would go to the market to find something good to eat. Han Juhua clutched her stomach, claiming it hurt, and Old Mrs. Han slapped her across the face: "You brat, you'd better bear the pain!"
Seeing the murderous look in Old Mrs. Han's eyes, Han Juhua was too frightened to say a word and could only obediently follow behind.
...
After a hearty meal and a good night's sleep, Han Luoxue and her family didn't get up until late morning, almost noon.
The water celery had sprouted again, so Han Luoxue made a water celery salad and some cornmeal porridge. The corn in her space would be ripe soon, and she wanted to pick a few to cook. However, explaining the origin of the corn was a problem; her mother wasn't someone easily fooled.
Boiled corn is quite fragrant in modern times; I wonder if people in ancient times would have liked the taste. Han Luoxue's eyes darted around; she still wanted to go to the market to ask.
Although it was just simple porridge, it was already quite good during this famine, not to mention the fresh and juicy water celery.
Doctor Xu ate happily, and his little grandson Dou Dou had also woken up. The little guy had fainted from hunger yesterday, but now that he had eaten, he was full of energy. He kept holding Han Luoxue's hand and calling her "Sister, Sister."
What's even more exciting is that Han Mingyuan's legs feel better now.
"I feel my legs getting numb after sitting for a while, and sometimes they even hurt."
Even Doctor Xu was shocked; he hadn't expected acupuncture to be so effective. Han Luoxue smiled secretly, knowing it was due to the spatial water. After dinner, she asked Doctor Xu to examine Han Luoyu as well.
The younger sister's foot pain was more pronounced, and Han Luoyu smiled happily upon feeling the pain in her foot.
"Xue'er, you really are our family's little lucky star." Yunniang happily hugged Han Luoxue and kissed her twice. "Yesterday you said that your father and sister's legs can recover, and I feel that day is not far away."
It's important to know that Han Mingyuan was the main breadwinner of the Han family. Among the four brothers, he did the most work in the fields, and his hard work hunting improved the Han family's life.
If the Han family knew that Han Mingyuan's leg could recover, I wonder how much they would regret it.
Yunniang thought to herself with schadenfreude.
"Haha, Mom, I'm your little lucky star. Don't worry, our lives will get better and better. Once Dad's leg recovers, he can take me hunting in the mountains again."
Although Han Yuchen had promised to accompany her into the mountains, it wasn't really convenient since he wasn't family. Han Luoxue didn't want to trouble anyone, and she and Han Yuchen weren't actually that close.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door outside the courtyard. Han Luoxue went to open the door and saw a familiar child.
"Han Yuze, what are you doing here?"
He is the eldest son of the Han family, and her cousin.
"Second sister, I'm hungry. Can you give me something to eat? I haven't had a full meal in days."
Ten-year-old Han Yuze was already up to Han Luoxue's chest. He pitifully rubbed his belly. The Han family still had no food to eat today. This morning, his mother made him drink two bowls of water, but that wasn't enough to fill him up.
He secretly ran over here, but the strong aroma of rice made Han Yuze grind his teeth in anger. Back in the old Han family, wasn't he always the first to get the best food? As for the two little girls in Uncle Han's family, Grandma said they were a waste of money and would be used to find him wives when they grew up.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
