How long has it been since you last took a shower?
Tian Chengcheng endured the intense discomfort and rubbed her skin from head to toe several times, until the water turned black.
Tian Hengyuan changed the bucket of hot water for her. After washing her, Tian Chengcheng was surprised to find that the little girl had very fair skin.
There were bruises all over his body and arms, obviously caused by Li Qiuju's pinching.
"Have you finished washing?"
Tian Hengyuan took a pair of blue and white striped pants and a jacket and placed them on the kang.
The clothes I took off before are too torn to wear and need to be washed and mended.
"Fubao, this is made from bed sheets. You can wear it for now. When grandma recovers, I will make you nice clothes."
"Thank you, uncle."
Tian Chengcheng took a look and found that the bed sheets were indeed newly modified.
Although time was tight, the stitches were even and of the right size, and it looked quite authentic.
She couldn't help but look at Tian Hengyuan with admiration.
Such an outstanding man would be a rare and sought-after commodity in the era she lived in!
"Good boy, Fubao." Tian Hengyuan smiled and took a towel to help her wipe her hair. "Your shoes are too small. Your uncle will go to town to buy you a pair tomorrow."
Tian Chengcheng knew that Tian Hengyuan and his mother lived a hard life, but looking at the pair of rotten shoes on the ground that could not cover their feet, she could only swallow her words of rejection silently.
I happened to see a few pairs of clean old shoes stuffed in the kang hole, and immediately I had an idea.
"Uncle, buying shoes is too expensive. I can wear those old shoes if you make them smaller."
Tian Hengyuan touched her head, feeling sad.
"Then I'll make you a pair first. When Fubao goes to school, I'll definitely buy you a new pair of shoes."
"Yeah." Tian Chengcheng nodded, her eyes full of anticipation.
Tian Hengyuan couldn't help but feel distressed. He turned around and picked out the smallest pair of shoes and cut off a circle of the sole according to Tian Chengcheng's shoe size.
I took out the starched black upper, cut it according to proportion, and sewed a layer of old cotton inside to keep it warm.
Then he found a shoe awl and hemp rope, drilled holes and sewed them together. In about half an hour, a pair of small shoes was made.
"Try it on."
Tian Chengcheng puts on "new shoes".
It's as soft as stepping on cotton, more comfortable and warmer than I imagined.
"Thank you, uncle. The shoes are very comfortable."
Tian Chengcheng took two steps, very happy, with stars twinkling in her big eyes.
Tian Hengyuan felt distressed again and carried her to the old lady's room.
The old lady looked at the clean little girl and sighed, "What a good child! Li Qiuju is doing evil. Fubao, from now on, even if grandma doesn't eat, she won't let you go hungry."
"Grandma, uncle, I will be obedient and I can do a lot of work." Tian Chengcheng looked like a well-behaved little girl.
The old lady touched her hair and sighed softly.
Later, Tian Hengyuan brought bedding and stuffed an egg wrapped in a towel into Tian Chengcheng's mouth.
"Fubao, apply a boiled egg to your forehead. From now on, you and grandma will sleep here."
Tian Chengcheng took a look and found that although the bedding was patched, it was still thick and there was no unpleasant musty smell.
Tian Hengyuan and the old lady were both capable people. Although their house was bare, they kept it clean and tidy.
Compared to the rich but cold life in her previous life, Tian Chengcheng felt the warmth of "home" here.
The nights in early spring come early, and as soon as it gets dark, the small mountain village falls into complete sleep.
Afraid that Tian Chengcheng would be cold, Tian Hengyuan burned a few more pieces of wood to make the kang warm.
This was Tian Chengcheng’s first time sleeping on a kang, and it was quite comfortable.
The next day, when Tian Chengcheng woke up, Tian Hengyuan had already prepared breakfast.
A small square table was placed on the kang, with a bowl of black paste, the boiled egg she had applied to her forehead last night, and a few pieces of pickled cabbage.
Tian Hengyuan broke the egg into two halves, gave half to the old lady and the other half to Tian Chengcheng.
"Mom, Fubao, come and eat." Tian Hengyuan called.
Tian Chengcheng looked at the half egg and broke half of it for Tian Hengyuan, "Uncle, you eat too."
"I'm an old woman who's about to die. It would be a waste if I ate it." The old lady gave the egg to Tian Chengcheng, "Fubao, eat it. You look so thin. You need to eat more."
Tian Chengcheng looked at the skinny little arm and couldn't refute, but still put the egg into the old lady's bowl.
"Grandma, only after you eat the eggs can your illness be cured and your uncle will be willing to go to school."
The old lady paused and didn't refuse anymore.
Her son's college education cannot be delayed, and Fubao also needs her care, so she can't just lie in bed all the time.
After dinner, Tian Hengyuan quickly cleaned up the house.
Not long after, Hu Zi came and called Tian Hengyuan to transfer Tian Chengcheng's household registration. Tian Hengyuan gave a few instructions and left.
Tian Chengcheng walked around the house and found that this house could only be described as "bare and bare".
Even the black bark they drank was only half a bag left, which would not be enough for three mouths to eat for a few days.
"Grandma, everything is fine at home. I'm going to go to the back mountain and see if I can find something to eat."
The old lady's face changed when she heard this. "Fubao, grandma knows you are a sensible child, but you can't go to the back mountain now. It's too dangerous! The beasts on the mountain are mad with anger and want to eat people!"
In such a famine, not only were people starving, but even the wild beasts in the mountains were howling with hunger.
Recently, I often hear the roar of wild animals in the middle of the night, which is very scary.
If such a young child goes up the mountain, he will never come back.
"Grandma, I'll just go to the river and walk around nearby. I won't go deep into the river. And I've been there often before, so I'll be fine."
This is true. The original owner, Fubao, was in Li Qiuju's hands. Every day he either worked at home or cut grass and fed pigs in the mountains.
"Then don't go far."
Seeing that she couldn't persuade him, the old lady compromised and gave him some more instructions before leaving.
Tian Chengcheng agreed to all of them, found a small bamboo basket, put a sickle, a small hoe, etc. in it, and was about to go out when Tian Xin came.
Tian Xin is the heroine of the book.
In the book, after Fubao died, his biological parents came looking for him. Tian Xin relied on the halo of the heroine and not only did not make enemies, but instead climbed up the social ladder. With the help of Fubao's parents as a springboard, she married into a wealthy family, and her whole family rose to prosper from then on.
Tian Chengcheng felt a lump of anger stuck in her chest.
What kind of bloody plot is this?
"Sister Fubao, Mom asked you to go back." Tian Xin's voice was soft.
She had two small braids tied with a big red silk flower. Her small round face was fair and clean, and her eyes curved when she smiled, which made her very lovable.
Wearing purple vertical striped clothes and red cloth shoes, she looked neat and pretty, completely different from those rustic children in the village.
Even when he was starving, he managed to dress himself so neatly.
She is worthy of being the heroine.
Tian Chengcheng couldn't help but sigh.
Unfortunately, the unlucky kid in the book has become her. In the face of strength, even the most shining halo of the heroine has to give way.
"That's your mother! From now on, I'll live with my grandmother and uncle. I have nothing to do with your family, so don't come looking for me." Tian Chengcheng refused directly. "Is there anything else? If nothing, I need to go up the mountain to dig up tree roots. Do you want to come?"
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