At that time, stitches weren't a common practice in the village, so the scars were all tangled together. Because the girl's head was small, the scars looked quite large.
Qian Jiefang looked at the scene with a pained expression, and his hatred for the Wang family intensified. He knew before that the Wang family was definitely not good people; the old couple always acted as if one of them was weak and incompetent, while the other was throwing tantrums and making a scene.
His son was a good-for-nothing who did nothing all day. His life didn't seem much harder than the other people in the village. He didn't believe that this family was a normal family. However, he had observed them but couldn't see anything wrong with them, so he just let it go. As a result, his daughter suffered so much.
Looking at his daughter, who was as thin as a stick, and with a bitter taste in her mouth, he felt that he, as her father, was incompetent. Otherwise, his daughter wouldn't be so thin.
Qian Jiefang forced a smile and patted Qian Xiao's small shoulder. The only flesh he could feel was bone; there wasn't a bit of meat on him!
"Why is my daughter so thin? Is she not eating enough? I remember your mother said that she probably ate more when you were first born. Is she thinking about home and not wanting to eat her fill?"
Old Man Qian frowned and pondered after hearing this. It seemed that his granddaughter had a good appetite after being weaned. The little girl could eat the amount of an adult in one meal. When did she start eating the same amount of food as other children?
She seems to be under two years old. The little girl says she's full after a few bites. She's always been very self-disciplined, only eating what a normal two-year-old would eat. She won't eat a single extra bite of even the best food. That's the biggest flaw.
How can a child control themselves? When a child sees something delicious, they will stuff it into their mouth as much as they can, as if they want to burst their stomach before they stop.
But my own Erdan is different. The same things are either bad or good. It's like he's set a standard for himself and will never cross it.
He's getting senile. How come he didn't notice something was wrong with his granddaughter? How could a child who was born with a huge appetite suddenly have a normal appetite? No wonder, no wonder. His own granddaughter is so thin, even though he raises her the same way. She's controlling her food intake because she's afraid there won't be enough food at home.
The old man was half sad and half relieved. He was sad because it took him so long to notice that something was wrong with his granddaughter, but relieved because his granddaughter was so sensible and thoughtful. No wonder his granddaughter was always urging him to go up the mountain to find food; it was all a sign that she wasn't getting enough to eat.
Old Man Qian beckoned his granddaughter to come to his side. Qian Xiao didn't know why, but she obediently walked up to the old man and asked, "What's wrong, Grandpa?"
The old man patted his granddaughter's bald head: "Tell me the truth, are you intentionally controlling your food intake? You've never been full?"
Qian Xiaoxiao's smiling face froze for a moment. What was she supposed to say? Well, she should just tell a white lie. She was about to shake her head and say that she was full when the old man stopped her.
"I want to hear the truth."
Qian Xiao drooped her head: "It's...it's alright. Everyone's in the same boat right now." I've never heard of anyone being able to eat their fill. Most people are only about 70% full, which is considered a good life.
Hearing this, everyone in the courtyard fell silent. This child, how could this child be so thoughtful? Such a small child already knows how to save food for the family. It made my heart ache.
Old Qian's eyes welled up with tears. He patted his granddaughter's head and said, "Why are you so worried? If you keep doing this, what will happen to your health? It's not like we can't afford to eat. I was wondering why that old man Zhang ignores me as soon as he sees me, and he doesn't even look at me with those kind eyes."
"Does Old Zhang know why you're so thin? Is it because you're not getting enough nutrition?" He said he hadn't offended Old Zhang, so why did the old man dislike him?
Qian Xiao chuckled dryly twice: "Hehe, well, it was me who told Grandpa Zhang not to tell you. I eat too much, and I can't let you guys who do heavy work all day save your food for me. Anyway, I don't do any heavy work, so it's no big deal if I eat less."
“I’m all grown up now and can go up the mountain to find food. I’ll eat more in the future, don’t worry. Grandpa Zhang said I’m in great health, not as healthy as any of the other boys in the village.”
The old lady and the other women burst into tears. They all thought they had raised their children well, but they never knew that their granddaughters (daughters and nieces) had never been full. Even in the most difficult years, they would never let their children go hungry.
Qian Xiao quickly wiped away her grandmother's tears with a smile: "Oh dear, why is this little old lady crying? Please don't cry. It breaks my heart when you cry. I promise I'll eat more so you won't have to worry, okay?"
The old lady was caught between tears and not tears. She slapped her granddaughter and said, "You brat, I always knew you couldn't gain weight. You say you're not getting enough to eat? Our family can't do without your food. Your father sends money back every month. No one else can let you go hungry."
"I was just thinking that if our family eats too much, other families will talk. Besides, I don't do anything, so why should I just sit around eating so much all day?"
The old lady immediately stood up: "No, I need to prepare more food. You and your father can eat some later. You need to eat your fill so your injury can heal faster. You can't do this again. You're ripping out your mother's heart!"
Qian Xiao instinctively refused, "No need, no need, I already had breakfast this morning, just make it for my dad, I'm not hungry yet." Actually, Qian Xiao was already used to it. At first, she always felt unbearably hungry, but she had developed a habit from years of doing this.
She can't always go up the mountain, but each time she does, she can find something to eat and fill her stomach to about 60%, which is enough.
"What nonsense are you talking about? If you're not full, how can you not be hungry? Don't worry about it. Eat as much as you want in a little while and let Grandma see how much my granddaughter can eat in one meal. Then Grandma will cook more next time."
Qian Jiefang quickly pulled his daughter over: "Let your grandma do it. Our family isn't so poor that we can't afford to raise a child who can eat. It's heartbreaking to see you so thin. You're injured, so you should eat well even more."
Zhang Heping was somewhat envious of Lao Qian. Look at how harmonious this family was, unlike his own family, which would quarrel whenever they got together. And look at their children, although they all wore the same patched clothes, they were all clean and tidy. Even their only daughter was so sensible.
Some people are born with good fortune, which is something you can't envy.
The whole family was gathered around the three people at the table, their eyes fixed on Qian Xiao, wanting to see how much their Erdan could eat. They were so scared that the child dared not eat much, preferring to go hungry themselves.
Qian Xiao... Why does she feel like some kind of rare species? Should she eat as much as she wants, or just eat until she's about 70% full?
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