When Xu Jingrun opened his eyes again, he found himself back home, sleeping in his stepmother's bed.
The warm, thick bedding looks brand new.
He was startled and rolled out of bed, breaking out in a cold sweat.
Wait, wasn't his stepmother dead? Wasn't he just on the mountain a moment ago?
Don't tell him it was all a dream.
Hearing a noise coming from the main room, Xu Jingrun lowered his footsteps and went over.
After leaving his stepmother's room, he entered the main room, where he saw his younger sister sitting at the table, his stepmother holding his younger brother, and the three of them eating a steaming meal.
He hid in the shadows and quietly observed his stepmother. Her expression was much gentler than usual, and she ate very slowly. Most importantly, she was completely unharmed!
"Come and eat when you wake up."
Chen Yunyun had already discovered that Xu Jingrun was hiding there. To be honest, she never expected that such a young child would have such a vicious mind.
The fact that he was hiding in the tree meant that wild boars were nearby.
When he heard Chen Yunyun calling him, he deliberately answered loudly to lure the wild boar over.
He even talked to her to lower her guard.
If the original owner were here, he would have been gored to death by that wild boar long ago.
Fortunately, she had the system's help and managed to anesthetize the wild boar. Now the wild boar is in the system's inventory, completely dead.
Chen Yunyun remained expressionless, and Xu Jingrun was unable to discern anything from his stepmother's face.
Chen Yunyun glanced at the eldest child without making a sound. She didn't expect that the child had already started to go astray. She would observe him for a while longer before focusing on educating him!
The eldest son sat down at the table, and the sight of so many dishes made him momentarily surprised.
There are three dishes, including a meat dish?!
A large, porcelain-white bowl held a serving of light green winter melon and pork stew with pork ribs, which looked absolutely beautiful.
One bite reveals the soft, fragrant winter melon with a slightly sweet aftertaste.
The ribs are thick but not tough; with a gentle pull, the ribs and pork easily separate, and the rich, succulent meat flavor explodes in your mouth.
The tiger-skin green peppers on the side are also a must-try. Fresh, plump green peppers are fried in oil until the skin is crispy and delicious. Add some vinegar and garlic sauce, and it's simple, delicious, and perfect with rice.
I'm so satisfied!
Niu Niu and her younger brother ate with their mouths full of oil.
Xu Jingrun was alarmed and reached under the table to tug at his sister's clothes.
While her stepmother wasn't looking, Niu Niu turned her head and gave him a subtle look, implying that the food wasn't poisoned and that her stepmother was eating it herself.
Xu Jingrun breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at his stepmother, and couldn't figure out her thoughts at all.
Thinking about it was pointless. He picked up the stir-fried cabbage and glass noodles in front of him, put it in his mouth, and was stunned. He hadn't expected it to taste so good.
The glass noodles are chewy and springy, and the cabbage is bright green, bursting with sweetness with every bite.
He added some unfamiliar ingredients, fiery red rings that tasted even spicier than chili peppers, and ripe garlic cloves that looked white and crispy in the dish, with a caramelized aroma when bitten into.
Tonight's main dish is thick red bean and millet porridge, paired with this spicy and fragrant cabbage and glass noodles—it tastes amazing!
Xu Jingrun gave up on thinking about the irrationality of these foods. Since they weren't poisonous, he simply ate to his heart's content, even if it meant dying a full-bodied death.
Soon his bowl was empty, and as he was about to go to the kitchen to get a second bowl like his sister, a large hand took his bowl away.
Xu Jingrun looked at the owner of the bowl. His stepmother brought the bowl to her and stared at him with a half-smile.
He saw his stepmother's lips move as she said, "They can, but you can't."
Xu Jingrun's eyes darkened, his deep, dark eyes staring intently at the woman before him.
A warm hand reached out, pinched his cheek, and with a little force, lifted the corners of his drooping mouth.
"Don't make that face."
Seeing that the little boy had hidden the resentment and anger in his eyes, Chen Yunyun stopped teasing him and waved him out, saying, "Go to the kitchen and take a hot bath. Look how dirty you are."
Although her words were full of disdain, she didn't hit him as usual.
As Xu Jingrun walked out, he heard his stepmother muttering behind him, as if talking to herself.
"The little brat only needs to eat and drink well. He looks so bitter and resentful. It's too much work for him to act like a little adult."
As Xu Jingrun stepped out of the main room, he glanced back at his stepmother, whose black hair was neatly coiled into a bun at the back of her head.
The dim light from the kerosene lamp fell on her face, revealing a hint of gentleness.
Gentle? Xu Jingrun seemed to realize something, his face instantly turned cold, and he turned and went to the kitchen.
After giving Niu Niu and Sanwa a bath that evening, Chen Yunyun was exhausted.
She lay on the bed, not wanting to move a single finger.
Niu Niu and Sanwa slept on her left and right sides respectively, while Da Wa slept at her feet.
The quilt was one she exchanged with the system; it was brand new and filled with duck down, making it very warm.
The children used to sleep in the woodshed, but as the weather gradually turned cold, there wasn't even a blanket in the woodshed. If winter came, the children might freeze to death.
The third child, who was experiencing the warmth of the new quilt for the first time, happily rolled around in the quilt.
He is the youngest and doesn't remember much. Just give him some candy and food, and he will become affectionate with you.
Holding him, Chen Yunyun felt a pang of heartache. This one-year-old baby was shorter and lighter than even a six-month-old. It seemed she would have to ask the system to get more formula.
After the children fell asleep, Chen Yunyun operated the system turntable.
She completed her task today and got an extra chance to win a prize.
Without hesitation, she chose to enter the lottery.
After a dazzling light effect, a book appeared on the screen. It had no title, and the cover featured a lifelike golden carp.
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