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The aroma of rice porridge gradually drifted from the outer room into the inner room.
Tan Sanyuan, who had already fallen asleep, slowly sat up.
Tan Yiliang, who was lying beside him, was startled awake. He turned over and asked, “Sanyuan, why are you still awake?”
Tan Sanyuan looked toward the outer room and replied, “Little Qiyue is back.”
Upon hearing this, Tan Yiliang, who had been on the verge of falling asleep, suddenly sat up with a smile. “Really?”
Tan Sanyuan nodded slightly. “Mm, it smells like rice porridge outside.”
Tan Yiliang quickly got out of bed, casually put on some clothes, opened the door, and walked outside. He saw Little Qiyue eating the porridge and happily said, “Little Qiyue is back!”
Having finished her meal, Wan Chunmei was feeding Tan Liujin porridge. She responded, “Yiliang, why aren’t you asleep yet?”
Tan Yiliang squatted down, reaching out to wipe some porridge from Little Qiyue’s mouth. He smiled and replied, “I was about to sleep, but since my little sister is back, I came out to see.”
At that moment, the little black dog, which had been curled up in the corner of the inner room, also walked out, wagging its tail happily.
Wan Chunmei chuckled, “You all are anxious after just one day. Alright, it’s getting late. Go back to sleep and come play with Little Qiyue tomorrow morning.”
Tan Yiliang pinched Little Qiyue’s cheek, then turned to reply, “Alright, Mother.”
He lowered his voice and said to Little Qiyue, “Be good, eat more so you can grow taller. Big Brother is going to sleep now.”
Little Qiyue looked at him with her round eyes and nodded obediently.
Tan Yiliang then returned to the inner room.
The little black dog, however, did not follow him back but instead walked over and licked Little Qiyue’s tiny feet before lying down beside her.
Once inside, Tan Yiliang said to Tan Sanyuan, “Sanyuan, since you’ve been thinking about Little Qiyue, and you’re still awake, why don’t you go out and see her?”
Tan Sanyuan lay back down under the blanket. “No need. Let her eat well.”
“Alright, you’re thoughtful as always.” Tan Yiliang said with a yawn, stretching out and closing his eyes.
Outside, Tan Xiaomei had finished washing up and was now in bed. Seeing that everyone else had fallen asleep, Wan Chunmei leaned over to Old Tan and quietly recounted the rumors she had heard at the county magistrate’s office about Little Qiyue.
Old Tan frowned when he heard this.
Wan Chunmei asked softly, “Husband, do you think it’s true?”
Old Tan placed his empty bowl into the pot and took a cloth to gently wash Little Qiyue’s face. “What’s true or not? It’s just some nonsense from people.”
Wan Chunmei raised an eyebrow and said, “But think about it. Ever since we took Little Qiyue in, so many strange things have happened.”
They had lived their lives in the village, growing up surrounded by simple folk, and had never really had the time or the knowledge to understand these strange happenings. But that didn’t mean they hadn’t noticed them.
Old Tan paused as he wiped Little Qiyue’s face, considering her words. After a moment, he replied, “In this world, there’s no such thing as luck or misfortune. It’s all about cause and effect. You reap what you sow. Good people are rewarded, and evil people will face their own punishment. What does this have to do with our Little Qiyue?”
Wan Chunmei carefully placed the full-bellied Tan Liujin back on the bed and said slowly, “I know what you mean. You’re worried I might pretend to flatter Little Qiyue because of the fortune-teller’s talk. But don’t worry. I’ve thought it through. Since Little Qiyue is already part of our family, she’s our own daughter. Whether she’s a lucky star, a reincarnation of a god, or even a disaster star, she’s still our precious child.”
She paused, then added, “But if it’s true, then we must keep this secret and not let anyone with bad intentions find out.”
Old Tan nodded seriously. “You’re right.”