Chapter 3: A Full Meal

Feeling that the food she had released had all been picked up by the Su family members, Su Huan no longer worried about the excess fish in the ditch. She quietly curled up her little hands and lay in Liu Yingying’s arms, observing the Su family.

The Su family members looked at the food brought back by Su Fourth, Su Fifth, and Wu Chunhe, and everyone beamed with joy like blossoming flowers.

Wu Chunhe quickly took Yan Jia and Yan He to change clothes, dried their hair, and then went to help Zhang Xiaolan and Jin Yuegui cook. Su Second and Su Third went to chop wood and tend the fire.

Su Fourth and Su Fifth gathered around Old Madam Su, looking at the baby girl, their faces filled with love and wonder.

Yan Qi brought his younger brother Yan Xing over and said, “Grandma, let’s give our little sister a name! Today we caught chickens, and it’s all thanks to her!”

Liu Yingying readily agreed, “Exactly! Little Fifth Girl is truly a lucky child. We must give her a good name.”

Outside, everything had been stripped bare by the famine victims, not even a blade of grass or tree bark remained. Yet, at the moment of Little Fifth Girl’s birth, the heavens granted them rain, and they managed to find chickens, rabbits, and fish. While out hunting, Su Fourth and Su Fifth even picked up a milk goat, dug up thirty jin of sweet potatoes, and found a nest of eggs. It was hard not to believe that Little Fifth Girl had brought them all this good fortune!

Old Madam Su laughed heartily and said, “I’ve always said our Little Fifth Girl is blessed.”

She then passed the baby to Su Fifth, asking if he had any ideas for the child’s name.

Su Fifth carefully looked at the little baby swaddled in cloth, gently reaching out to hold her soft, pink hand. Feeling the delicate, fragile sensation beneath his fingers, a surge of heartache and fierce protectiveness rose within him.

This little one must have had a hard time coming into this world.

He had heard that Su Mei nearly had a difficult labor, and the little one had suddenly been born, almost choking on amniotic fluid.

Thinking of how he wasn’t there at the time — if anything had gone wrong, his wife and daughter might have been taken away by the King of Hell — Su Fifth’s eyes instantly reddened, and he began to sob while clutching his daughter’s tiny hand.

Sensing her father’s sadness, Su Huan comfortingly patted him with her small hand, “Yiya~”

Su Fourth laughed, “Hey! Mother, look! Fifth’s completely bewitched by his daughter! I think he’s deaf to everything except when Little Fifth Girl makes a sound!”

Liu Yingying understood Su Fifth’s feelings and smiled, “If I had a daughter, I’d be even crazier about her than Fifth is!”

Yan Xing foolishly looked up and said, “Mother, then I’ll be a big sister instead of a big brother.”

Everyone was momentarily stunned by this comment, except Su Huan, who clapped her little hands and laughed gleefully.

No one else noticed, but she clearly saw from Old Madam Su’s arms that it was her scheming Third Brother, Su Yanqi, who had just whispered that into his ear to coax him.

Su Fourth flushed red and rubbed his son’s head with a suppressed breath, “Even if you’re not a girl, we still treasure you!”

Old Madam Su laughed, “Looks like we’ll have to wait until Fifth’s wife wakes up before deciding on a name for our Little Fifth Girl. Let’s eat first. Fourth’s wife, go check if the chicken soup is ready. If it’s done, ladle a bowl and let Fifth’s wife eat before resting. Yan Qi, Yan Xing, you two, don’t be idle — go wash your dirty clothes and dry them by the fire. We have to hurry on the road tomorrow.”

“Yes!”

Everyone responded loudly and went about their tasks.

Su Fourth didn’t disturb Su Fifth watching over the child either. It was normal for first-time fathers to be like this. If he had such a tender and adorable daughter, he wouldn’t be able to take his eyes off her either.

In the ruined temple, more and more refugee groups arrived to take shelter from the rain, quickly crowding the small space.

Smelling the delicious aroma from the Su family’s food, some people formed groups and came over, trying to beg, bargain, or even steal. All were beaten back by Su Fourth and Su Fifth.

Some tried to sneak around to where Wu Chunhe and Zhang Xiaolan were cooking to steal food, but Su Second and Su Third were there chopping wood, wielding their large axes fiercely. Even the four half-grown boys glared angrily when they spotted intruders, picking up stones or sickles. The would-be thieves had no choice but to retreat with their heads lowered.

Wu Chunhe, Zhang Xiaolan, Liu Yingying, and even Jin Yuegui continued calmly with their tasks, unfazed by the disturbance.

Before long, the refugees in the temple realized that the Su family was tightly united — and not to be messed with.

At dinnertime, the Su family gathered around the fire. Each person was served two grilled fish, two roasted sweet potatoes, two boiled eggs, and a bowl of chicken soup with two pieces of meat each.

The grilled fish, seasoned only with salt, was exceptionally fragrant and flavorful. The chicken soup, also seasoned solely with salt, was delicious.

This was the best meal the Su family had had since fleeing the famine. If conditions had allowed earlier, Old Madam Su had always wanted everyone to eat well and fill their bellies.

Thinking about how they caught chickens today, all thanks to Little Fifth Girl’s blessing, Old Madam Su couldn’t resist hugging and kissing her twice. “My granddaughter is truly our little lucky star — she brought an old hen to our family as soon as she was born! Let’s see who still dares to call her a jinx!”

She glanced at Jin Yuegui.

Jin Yuegui simply pursed her lips and indifferently sipped her soup.

Su Huan could feel Old Madam Su’s fondness and love for her, warming her little heart. She smiled and reached out to touch Old Madam Su’s face, “Yiya~”

Seeing this scene, everyone’s hearts softened at once.

“Mother, you go eat. I’ll feed Little Fifth Girl her milk,” Su Fifth said, bringing over a bowl of fresh goat milk.

Old Madam Su smiled, “You go eat — you have night watch duty later. Besides, I just want to spend more time with my granddaughter.”

She lovingly fed Su Huan the goat milk.

Watching his daughter snuggled comfortably in his mother’s arms, Su Fifth could only helplessly shake his head.

He wanted to feed his daughter too.

As Su Huan drank, she suddenly frowned slightly but forced herself to finish the milk despite feeling uncomfortable.

It wasn’t that the goat milk tasted bad — it was that the old bowl had a strange smell.

Old Madam Su, knowing that babies have sensitive noses, immediately understood and quickly told Liu Yingying, “Fourth’s wife, when you and Fourth go to the next town to trade for food, remember to get two new bowls — one for Fifth Girl’s water and one for her milk.”

Liu Yingying crisply responded, “Alright, Mother!”

Hearing this, Jin Yuegui discontentedly put down her bowl and chopsticks. “Mother, you’re being too good to her! Girls are born lowly. If you’re buying new bowls, they should be for my son!”

This woman was really unlikable.

Su Huan stuck out her tongue at her — but to her embarrassment, drool dribbled down uncontrollably. She quickly shut her mouth, hoping no one noticed her awkwardness.

Su Yanjia blushed deeply and said, “Mother!”

Then he turned to Old Madam Su and said, “Grandmother, I still have some of my New Year’s money from two years ago. I’ll use it to buy a bowl for my sister.”

Jin Yuegui’s eyes widened. “What? Son, you hid private money from me? How much? Where is it?”

She began rummaging through Su Yanjia’s bundle.

Wu Chunhe immediately pinned her down with one hand. “Big Sister-in-law, are you done eating? If not, hand me your sweet potato — I’m still hungry!”

“Who said I’m done? I’m still eating!”

Jin Yuegui hurriedly sat back down and gnawed at her half-eaten sweet potato.

Old Madam Su couldn’t stand her behavior and looked away, seeing Su Huan staring at her big aunt, seemingly indignant on her big brother’s behalf. She couldn’t help but chuckle, patting the little baby and coaxing, “Don’t worry, Little Fifth Girl — when we get to town, Grandma will buy you a brand-new bowl for your milk!”

“Yiya~”

Su Huan showed her pink gums in a sweet smile, then curled up into a ball in her swaddling cloth and fell asleep peacefully.

Whether in her past life or her rebirth, it seemed her habit of getting sleepy after eating couldn’t be changed.