Chapter 151

Hu Tuhu glanced at his son-in-law. If Fan Jin showed any sign of dissatisfaction, he was ready to stand up and defend his daughter. But when he saw Fan Jin’s gentle and elegant smile, he realized that his son-in-law was magnanimous. As a father-in-law, he needed to show some grace too!

“Qing’er, we have many people here, but we don’t need so many dishes,” Hu Tuhu said, eyeing the array of chicken, fish, meat, eggs, and the five or six plates of vegetables. Particularly the eggplant with meat—such extravagance was a bit much.

“Father, because we have many people, we need many dishes; otherwise, it won’t be enough,” Shuiqing replied casually while distributing chopsticks, not even turning her head.

Hu Tuhu was momentarily speechless. He then said, “It’s fine to have many dishes, but just one or two kinds of meat, or even just one kind, would be more than enough.”

Shuiqing called everyone to sit down and replied, “It’s alright, Father. You don’t know, but we now have about 180 chickens and several hundred fat rabbits. We alternate between chicken and rabbit, so we won’t get tired of it.”

Hu Tuhu was stunned. 180 chickens and hundreds of rabbits?

He stammered, “Where did they come from?”

“Of course, we raised them. No one would just give them to us,” Shuiqing laughed. She continued, “We collect over a hundred eggs a day now. With this weather, we can’t go out, and eggs don’t keep for long. We have elders and children who need nutrition, so there’s no point in saving them just to have them go bad. Isn’t that wasteful?”

Even the frugal Hu Mu nodded in agreement. Qing’er made sense.

“And the fish, we caught them this morning. They don’t cost money, and if we keep them too long, they’ll either die or get skinny. We need to eat them while they’re fresh.”

Hu Tuhu: …True.

“Alright, let’s eat. If we run out later, we’ll tighten our belts and eat less,” Shuiqing declared heartily.

The previous efforts to stock up were precisely for times like this, so they wouldn’t go hungry during disasters. With many people in the house, especially elders and children, it was crucial to maintain their health during these peaceful days to handle whatever came next. Good health was the greatest asset.

Yan Qiuxing, Fan Jiang, Fan He, Fan Hu, and Bai Ziqian were already used to Shuiqing’s style and cheered as they started eating.

Ling Ran lowered his gaze, holding his chopsticks with his long, slender fingers, eating unhurriedly.

Hu Wenhua, being young and facing a table of delicious food, dug in with big bites.

Hu Tuhu held his chopsticks, unsure where to start. Every dish looked delicious.

Hu Mu placed a big piece of fatty meat in his bowl. It was ironic; although they sold pork, he always prioritized giving the best parts to their children and wife, rarely indulging himself.

Today, he would indulge.

Hu Tuhu didn’t hesitate and took a big bite. Delicious!

Fan Zhaodi held her rustic ceramic bowl, filled with bright white rice. She had eaten this before. When her aunt asked her second sister to bring her meals, it was always rice or white flour—never the coarse, throat-scratching black flour or rough cornmeal. Rice was smooth, slightly fragrant, and incredibly delicious. She felt she could eat two bowls of just the rice alone.

Clearly, Shuiqing didn’t think rice should be eaten plain. She kept adding dishes to Fan Zhaodi’s bowl.

First, a spoonful of steamed egg—soft, tender, and wobbly in the bowl, cooked to perfection. Then a piece of chicken thigh—firm, chewy, and the best part of the chicken. Next came minced meat eggplant, stir-fried pumpkin strips, dry-fried green beans, stewed tofu, stewed potatoes, sour fish fillets—everything, both meat and vegetables, ensuring a balanced diet.

Fan Zhaodi ate quietly, thinking every dish her aunt made was delicious.

Life is very good now, but it doesn’t truly belong to her.

When the wind stops, she will still be in her dilapidated home, being scolded by her father, disliked by her mother and grandmother, and burdened with endless chores.

But no matter what the future holds, she remembers the kindness of her aunt and uncle…

“By the way, father, mother, Wenhua, there are three rooms in the west wing and one empty room in the main house. Who wants to stay in the main house?” Shuiqing asked as dinner was nearing its end.

Hu’s mother smiled and said, “We are guests now. How can guests stay in the main house?

Your father and I will take one room, and your brother will take another. We’ll stay in the west wing.”

Hu Wenhua was very particular about food but not so much about where he slept. As a grown man, he didn’t mind where he stayed.

Besides, the west wing of his sister and brother-in-law’s house was quite nice!

It was more than twice as large as his own room.

“I’ll stay in the guest room, it’s comfortable!”

Shuiqing, knowing their personalities, didn’t insist. She turned to Fan Zhaodi beside her and asked, “Do you want to sleep with your eldest or second sister?”

Fan Zhaodi shook her head, “I-I’ll sleep in the guest room.”

She had seen her elder and second sisters’ rooms last time; they were beautifully decorated.

The bed linens had little flowers on them, and with her body still covered in wounds, it wouldn’t be good to get them dirty with blood and ointment stains.

Yan Qiu frowned slightly but spoke gently, “Mother, let the little sister sleep with me.”

With injuries, she might need care at night if she was in pain or needed medicine.

Ling Ran, upon hearing this, looked over with downcast eyes.

Yan Qiu, with her moist eyes, felt puzzled. Why was Brother Ling looking at her?

Shuiqing thought the same as Yan Qiu. Seeing Yan Qiu take the initiative, she sighed inwardly: the eldest sister always takes on the most responsibilities.

Regardless of whether the family is doing well or poorly, she always thinks of others first—starting with her parents, then her younger siblings, and herself last.

She looked at the frail girl beside her and asked, “Zhaodi, do you want to?”

Fan Zhaodi wanted it more than anything.

She was terrified of cutting grass alone on the mountains and fields, and even more afraid of being alone in the dark.

She was grateful that her eldest sister offered and didn’t despise her.

“Yes.”

Shuiqing said to Fan Zhaodi, “If you feel uncomfortable at night, don’t endure it. Remember to tell your eldest sister.”

She also instructed Yan Qiu, “You’ll have to take some extra care at night. Check if she has a fever. If she does, come get medicine from me.”

Those who are both frightened and injured are most at risk of a fever at night.

“Mother, I understand,” Yan Qiu replied.

With sleeping arrangements settled, the dinner conversation turned to other topics.

“In the past, there have been strong winds, but never as severe as today.” Hu the butcher remarked, recalling the difficulty of walking on the road.

Bai Ziqian remembered, “My mother said that strong winds by the sea in summer can even capsize fishing boats!”

Hu’s mother, still fearful, recalled, “This wind must have come from the sea. We’re already far from the coast. What must it be like there?”

Bai Ziqian fell silent.

He wondered how his parents were doing…