Shen Xingmian had slept very soundly just now, and she even felt that she could ride her horse to the capital again in the middle of the night.
Of course, you can, but it's not necessary.
The family gathered together to prepare dinner, and during their conversation, she learned that the two constables had sold the pork they couldn't finish to prisoners who were willing to pay.
That's quite clever of you; in this hot weather, it would definitely spoil by the next day.
Actually, those coarse grain cakes already had a slightly sour taste. If they were left out overnight, they probably wouldn't be edible tomorrow.
Those who didn't have a single copper coin on them probably had no choice but to eat it, otherwise they would go hungry, lack the strength to keep up with their teammates, and be whipped by the officials.
If they eat it, they might get diarrhea and fall behind, and they'll still get a beating...
Looking at it this way, it's truly tragic to have fallen into such a predicament; I wonder how many people will succumb to it.
But this isn't something a twelve-year-old girl should be worrying about...
Looking at her own figure, Shen Xingmian felt a little melancholy. She was short and very thin, looking like a little washboard come to life.
If you even darken her face a little, you can't tell if she's a man or a woman at all.
When will I finally grow up? Ugh.
Many people look forward to growing up when they are young, but when they actually grow up, they feel that childhood was better. Only Shen Xingmian has never had this thought.
She always felt that only when you grow up, earn your own money, and control your own life, can you truly be alive.
She had truly had enough of that feeling of helplessness she experienced as a child.
She seemed to have never missed her grandmother, nor had she ever burned paper money for her, not even before the apocalypse.
If someone says she's cold-blooded, she'll nod in agreement and then continue doing things her own way.
Especially after experiencing her maternal grandfather's love, she realized that her paternal grandmother had never truly loved her, but had always treated her as a jinx and a burden.
The feeling of being disliked is incredibly painful and despairing for a sensitive child.
The psychological trauma was so severe that, as an adult, she became extremely sensitive to any malicious glances and would immediately want to stay away from them.
This is why she is always alone and doesn't make friends, and of course, it's also why she was able to survive for so long in the apocalypse.
After arriving here and absorbing all the memories, this sensitivity gradually dulled. Being certain that you are loved truly makes you more confident over time.
Moreover, her "slow" process was actually quite fast.
Looking at her family members around her, she gave a genuine, faint smile.
Then, carrying a bowl of thick meat porridge, she walked toward the donkey cart. Of course, she wanted to avoid troubling others with the people she brought back.
She has been used to solving her own problems since she was a child, and this good habit has continued in her life.
She had no concept of imperial power; neither her maternal grandfather nor her parents had instilled any such ideas in her, nor did she have any sense of hierarchy. So, looking into those beautiful, dark, grape-like eyes, Shen Xingmian smiled and whispered, "Little brother, can you get up? Do you need me to feed you?"
In the past, such words would have been an affront to imperial authority, but Xiao Yanyue was well aware of her current status as a prisoner, and therefore had no doubts or displeasure.
At a time like this, it's already a great blessing that someone would bring him a bowl of warm meat porridge.
If following the Shen family will allow him to grow up smoothly, then even if he has to treat them as benefactors, it's no big deal.
However, he had a vague feeling that the Shen family was not like that.
He struggled to get up, expecting it to be difficult, given the hardships he had endured on his escape and the many hidden injuries he had sustained. However, to his surprise, getting up was surprisingly easy.
Suppressing his doubts, he politely thanked her, "Thank you, Sister Shen. I can do it myself."
So Shen Xingmian watched as the child took the bowl and carefully drank the porridge, spoonful by spoonful.
His table manners were excellent, even pleasing to the eye, causing Shen Xingmian to unconsciously fix her gaze on him while eating her own bowl of porridge.
He must have been very well-mannered before, probably raised according to the standards of a crown prince, so etiquette is ingrained in his bones, and he doesn't look embarrassed even in such a terrible situation.
This little guy was so well-behaved that she really couldn't bear to see him continue to suffer.
Hmm, it seems like her maternal love is about to overflow. Although she herself looks like a child now, she just feels a tender and bittersweet feeling in her heart.
I want to take better care of him.
Shen Xingmian only came to her senses when an empty bowl was handed to her. She asked gently, "Are you full? There's more over there. Isn't Auntie's cooking delicious? I'd like another bowl too."
Xiao Yanyue was initially embarrassed to ask for another bowl, feeling that he had already caused trouble for the family, and that eating more would only cause more trouble.
Life on the run gave him a new sense of self-awareness. He needed to adapt to the change in his identity as soon as possible, in every aspect, such as the second bowl of porridge.
But the older sister in front of him didn't give him a chance to refuse. She smiled and patted his head gently, saying, "Half a bowl more, it's settled then!"
After saying that, he took the bowl and ran back to the pot, filled each of them with more than half a bowl, and took it back to the donkey cart.
The two silently finished half a bowl of porridge each, feeling a moment of comfort even to their souls. Food truly warms the heart.
Holding two empty bowls, Shen Xingmian smiled at Xiao Yanyue and said, "There's still a lot of wild boar meat left. I'll have my aunt fry it into jerky, and I'll bring you some after that."
"You're still weak, and porridge is easy to digest, so don't get up and move around. Just rest for a while."
She believed the child would understand her meaning; if he recovered too early, he might be taken back to that prison van, and he would only be safe with the Shen family.
However, she didn't notice the fleeting despair on the child's face when she said this.
Xiao Yanyue slowly lay down, and very considerately remembered to thank her: "Thank you for dinner, sister. I feel a little dizzy, I'm going to sleep now..."
After saying that, he closed his eyes and "fainted".
Shen Xingmian almost burst out laughing. Luckily, there weren't many people around, otherwise, her clumsy acting would have been hard to fool others.
That curtain wasn't just for blocking the sunlight, but also for blocking the view. If it hadn't been damaged, Grandpa wouldn't have had to endure it now, and could have had dinner with the child.
With her space around, cheating is very easy. Others will only see her put in a bowl of porridge, but in reality, she can give whatever she wants without being discovered.
Looks like I'll have to hurry tonight.
There aren't many broad-leaved plants in the north, and the further north you go, the fewer there are. Plants like pine trees, which only have needles, are completely unusable.
It was already the second night. In five more days, they would be completely out of the capital. Even if her second uncle's men couldn't find them, she would still leave with her family first.
She couldn't bear to live a single day like this, with all these restrictions imposed upon her; it was so hard for her to endure.
I'm going to get depressed!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
