Chapter 5

The small boy lay curled up, eyes closed, blood oozing from his scalp. His hair was sparse, and his limbs were so thin they resembled only bones and skin, yet his mouth still moved stubbornly.

Zhang Rui knew the immediate danger had passed, and he could finally eat.

When Tian Jiao approached, the village chief Zhao Jiangang listened to two nearby people, gesturing and conveying a worried message.

Sun Hong had been carried back by several men after fainting when his head struck the stone. For a grown man, such a sudden impact could be severe. Tian Jiao didn’t expect her casual curse to be so effective. She looked skyward with lingering fear, finding nothing, and naturally moved toward Xiao He.

She was completely unaware of the puzzled expression on her new father’s face.

Fortunately, Zhang Rui was easygoing. After a moment’s reflection, he dismissed any strange notions and focused on Tian Jiao, who had already approached Xiao He. She observed the disturbing scene and softly said, “I’m sorry.”

She regretted giving things away without thinking and causing him to suffer.

Tian Jiao slowly extended her tiny hand, placing it on the dirty, bloody head.

It felt as if he heard her voice—soft, crisp, and sweet. All surrounding sounds faded away. Xiao He’s tightly shut eyelids twitched.

Each time he was beaten, he found himself in this state: curled up with eyes closed, remaining silent, not even crying out in pain. This dullness lessened the pain he felt.

This time was no different.

His body ached, and his head felt hot, but he slowly opened his eyes.

The familiar dazzling whiteness surrounded him again, and something soft and warm seemed to touch his head. A sense of security washed over him, and his eyelashes fluttered before he closed his eyes once more.

He stood still, hugging his arms tightly.

No movement, no pain, no feeling.

It felt as if this might convince him, and slowly, the pain began to fade, bringing some clarity to his chaotic thoughts.

Tian Jiao sniffed, her eyes still red, and her lips pressed tightly together. She hoped this talent could somehow benefit mortals.

Zhang Rui quietly squatted beside his daughter, cradling her with both hands, inwardly cursing the fainted Sun Hong countless times. If it weren’t for him, Jiaojiao wouldn’t be crying.

It was truly sickening to torture a child like this.

…

Zhao Dali muttered, “Village chief, this child is too pitiful. Although the Xiao family was once a landlord, they never exploited us. Moreover, this was many years ago. The Xiao family only has this one child left. If something happens to him, it will tarnish our village’s reputation.”

Being relatives, they spoke more casually. Zhao Jiangang nodded, but looking at the crowd, he felt uncertain about how to start. He sighed, “What good are we to you? This child will live in the Sun family in the future. Who knows what goes on behind closed doors? He can’t even cry.”

Tian Jiao squatted there, listening. As they continued discussing, she whispered, “Then we can stop living with the Sun family for a while.”

A tiny voice broke through, and Zhao Jiangang’s heart softened. He looked up and saw the pretty little girl in front of him. He smiled and instinctively softened his tone: “Little girl, you don’t understand. If he doesn’t live there, how will he manage alone?”

Tian Jiao pouted in frustration, but upon reflecting, it seemed true.

She lowered her head, her soft hair covering her little face, yet her aura still felt weak.

Zhang Rui noticed this and immediately spoke up, “Why not? He eats at various houses. Don’t think I’m unaware of what Sun Hong feeds him. He usually just adds boiled water to leftovers. I’ve seen it many times. Sometimes there’s nothing at all, and he just squats at the door, clutching his stomach. The villagers pity him and give him sweet potatoes from their homes. Otherwise, he would have starved to death long ago.”

Zhao Jiangang glared back: “Then I’ll follow him too. Damn it.”

Zhang Rui rolled his eyes: “Follow him? I don’t dare to say a word when the Old Sun glares at me!”

Tian Jiao felt distressed and looked at Zhao Jiangang with sparkling eyes. She knew this man was the village chief. When she was fully adopted by the Zhang family days ago, Zhang Rui had taken her to register with him. So she sweetly said, “Uncle, is it really okay for him to live alone?”

Gazing into her eyes, Zhao Jiangang felt that if she were his daughter, he’d grant her any wish. No wonder Zhang Rui had suddenly become so well-behaved. However, as the village chief, he could only reply, “He can’t speak, and he will starve to death if he lives alone. We’ll see later.”

He lifted the child, stating, “I’ll take him to Doctor Li for some medicine. His condition is so serious; I’m not sure he can survive.”

Tian Jiao couldn’t intervene, so she quickly stepped back, watching as the little one was picked up.

Seeing Zhao Jiangang’s relaxed demeanor made it clear that the weight was light, which deepened the sadness.

With red eyes, she turned and threw herself into Zhang Rui’s arms, muffledly saying, “Dad, that man is a bad guy. Why can’t he be punished?”

Zhang Rui held her and walked back, gently patting her back with one hand, softly explaining, “Because he’s Xiao He’s father now. No father gets arrested for beating his son. Besides, he didn’t beat anyone to death, so we really can’t say much.”

While saying this, Zhang Rui also felt saddened. Beating children was actually very common in rural areas.

Tian Jiao pursed her lips, feeling a weight in her chest and unsure of what to say.

The father and daughter walked back slowly, their silhouettes resembling that of a true father and daughter.

Just then, Li Mizhen stood in the crowd, and someone approached her, asking, “Are you really not the daughter of your third son?”

Li Mizhen looked displeased and shook her head. “How could that be possible? He will only be 22 this twelfth month. How can he possibly have a daughter this big?”

In today’s world, having an affair could lead to trouble if reported, so she quickly clarified.

Chengzi’s mother clicked her tongue but didn’t linger on the topic. Instead, she remarked, “Actually, your third child seems to be doing well. He’s only been around for a few days, but he’s acting more mature. Look at the way he walks now; he’s truly different from before. I need to encourage my Chengzi to marry soon. Having a baby will definitely put him at ease. But you really shouldn’t marry a lazy woman…”

At this point, Chengzi’s mother suddenly halted, recalling that Zhen’s daughter-in-law was known for her laziness despite her pretty face. She came from the neighboring brigade and supposedly never worked while living with her parents. This was just a thorn in her side.

Chengzi’s mother laughed dryly, saying, “I still need to wash my clothes, so I’ll head home now.”

Li Mizhen’s face remained gloomy as she searched for Zhang Dagen in the crowd and headed back as well.

Her dark expression wasn’t due to Chengzi’s mother, but rather from her thoughts about her lazy daughter-in-law and Tian Jiao.

…

An oil lamp lit the house, casting a dim glow. Occasionally, a gust of wind blew, flickering the light.

Zhang Rui sat with Tian Jiao, who was sipping water slowly.

Feeling nervous and thirsty, she licked her lips. Zhang Rui noticed and immediately poured her more water.

The water was slightly hot; Tian Jiao held it carefully and drank until beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. She caught a glimpse of the person beside her, who calmly crossed his legs. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry; her father was so composed.

After only a few sips of his drink, Zhang Dagen and Li Mizhen entered from outside. Tian Jiao quickly stood up, and Zhang Rui rushed over to try to impress them: “Mom and Dad, are you thirsty? Let me pour you some water.”

Tian Jiao looked at the lackey in surprise and felt embarrassed to see him waiting here.

Li Mizhen pushed her son aside in disgust. She noticed the little girl who seemed to follow her son everywhere and wanted to say something.

Sensing her gaze, Tian Jiao nervously clenched her fists. Her smile was a bit stiff, but her voice remained sweet: “Grandpa and grandma, I’m sorry, I…”

Zhang Dagen walked in with his hands behind his back, hunched over. Hearing the soft voice that seemed on the verge of tears, he paused but continued inside.

This girl seems a bit timid. If I say anything to her, she’ll likely cry for a long time, and then I’ll have to comfort my son. So, it’s better to leave it be.

He moved forward. Li Mizhen stayed outside, observing the cautious father and daughter. Honestly, she was running low on patience. Her previous frustration turned into a faintly questioning tone as she interrupted her hesitant words: “If you can’t eat in the future, just say it directly; no one will judge.”

Tian Jiao forced a sweet smile: “Okay, thank you, grandma.”

Li Mizhen found it strange that this child was so well-behaved. None of her four children had been this obedient. They always found a reason to argue or would agree superficially and then do whatever they wanted later. Even her relatively obedient second child was a naughty one who would climb on roofs and tear off tiles before he was ten unless he was punished.

She felt a slight shiver.

Zhang Rui chimed in: “You always say food is hard to come by, and back then, she left it for me to eat at night when she couldn’t eat it. Have you noticed your son has gained weight lately?”

Tian Jiao glanced at her father with a blank expression. Where did he get fat? That steamed bread didn’t add much weight.

But Zhang Rui’s comment visibly improved Li Mizhen’s mood. She smiled, pushed her son away again, and scolded him: “I know, I know, how can you gain weight in just a few days? I understand you have a little money now, but you need to find a proper job soon; how will you support your daughter otherwise?”

Zhang Rui nodded with a smile. Since Li Mizhen managed all household affairs, he shared his plans: “I plan to go to the county to look for job opportunities. I’m not needed in the village anyway…”

Li Mizhen responded with a nod: “Hmm…”

While they talked, Tian Jiao held onto Zhang Rui’s clothes, standing by his side. He absentmindedly rubbed her head for comfort, which made Tian Jiao feel completely at ease.

She lifted her head and looked at the two of them with her large eyes. Her face was slightly tense, and she felt puzzled. Why were they so unconcerned?

Isn’t food important?

Her eyes were very dark, and the whites were exceptionally bright. They were large and sparkled as she focused on them intently.

Li Mizhen instinctively lowered her voice when speaking to her son. Looking down, she felt her son’s eyes seem to ask why she wasn’t scolding him.

She wanted to complain about his childlike demeanor but couldn’t bring herself to blame him, so she simply said, “Alright, it’s getting late. Go to bed early.” After thinking for a moment, she turned to her son and added, “Jiaojiao is a girl, so it’s not convenient for her to share a room with you. Clean up your brother’s room tomorrow.”

Tian Jiao was surprised again by this and felt more confusion in her big eyes. She hadn’t been scolded, but she was still getting her own room?

Zhang Rui grinned widely: “Thank you, Mom!”

Tian Jiao also tilted her head and said sweetly, “Thank you, grandma!”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Li Mizhen turned away: “Why thank you? Your dad and I will be busy tomorrow. Let me make it clear first: you should clean it yourself. It’s your daughter’s bed anyway. If she gets bitten by rats, it’s your fault.”