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After Old Tan left, Wan Chunmei looked at the two sleeping children in her arms and let out a deep sigh. She murmured to herself, “If only I had more milk, then you wouldn’t have to go hungry.”
She wasn’t young anymore, and her body wasn’t what it used to be. Though she still had milk, feeding two children was proving to be a real challenge.
As she thought about it, she lay down, cuddling the two children close, intending to take a nap.
But just as she settled down, a sudden twinge shot through her chest, and milk began to flow unexpectedly.
“Ah!” Wan Chunmei gasped in surprise and quickly sat up.
Her chest felt heavy, as though two stones were weighing her down.
Her abrupt movement startled her sleeping son awake.
Her son burst into loud cries.
Without thinking, Wan Chunmei picked him up and brought him to her chest.
The little boy latched on eagerly, gulping down the milk. Before long, he was full, his tiny face glowing with contentment as he blinked his small eyes in satisfaction.
Wan Chunmei was bewildered. One side of her chest now felt lighter, but the other still felt uncomfortably heavy, like a stone pressing on her.
Hurriedly, she picked up Little Qiyue, who had been peacefully sleeping, and brought her to the other side.
Though Little Qiyue had been asleep, the scent of milk woke her. Instinctively, she latched on and began drinking with the same vigor as her brother.
Soon, both children were full, and the heavy weight in Wan Chunmei’s chest was gone.
The milk was just the right amount—neither too much nor too little.
Wan Chunmei was overjoyed. She hadn’t expected her body to still have such vitality, saving them even the need for carp soup.
That night, Tan family’s eldest and second sons returned home. Catching the delicious aroma of fish wafting through the house, they exclaimed with excitement, “Wow! We’re having fish!”
“Yep, Father caught two big ones today,” replied the fourth and fifth sons, sitting obediently in a row. Their little heads tilted as their sparkling eyes fixed on the fish, filled with anticipation.
Old Tan brought the freshly cooked carp soup over to Wan Chunmei, then turned back to the boys. “Did you deliver the coins?”
Tan family’s eldest sat down, sniffing the fish and poking it lightly before licking his finger. “Yes, we delivered them. Doctor Li didn’t want to take them at first, but we insisted on leaving them.”
“Good, good. Well done,” Old Tan said with a firm pat on his shoulder. “Now, go serve the rice.”
“Father, I already served it!” The second son walked over, carrying two bowls of thin rice porridge with a big, proud smile.
Old Tan stared at him, stunned, his eyes welling up with tears. He quickly took the bowls from him. “My boy, are you really… not foolish anymore?”
The second son smiled sheepishly and nodded.
The eldest son, poking at the fish again, chimed in with a grin, “Father, not only is Second Brother no longer foolish, but he’s gotten smarter. Today, when we sold the eggs, he did all the math perfectly!”
Old Tan sat down, looking at his second son with an earnest expression. “Erqian, when did you learn to do math like that?”
Erqian replied, “I used to follow Mother to the county a few times and watched how the street vendors did their accounting. I just remembered it.”
Hearing this, Old Tan pinched the bridge of his nose, his voice slightly hoarse. “Erqian… my Erqian… how wonderful, truly wonderful.”
A good son, born a fool—that had been a crushing blow to a family as poor as theirs. In other households, a child like him might have been abandoned long ago. But the Tan couple were kindhearted, determined to raise him no matter what.
A person may be poor, but their spirit must not be.
No matter their children’s flaws or strengths, they were still their parents’ precious treasures.
“If they’re born into this world, then even if we have to sell the pots and pans, we’ll raise them right.”
Now that his son was no longer a fool, Old Tan fell into a rare silence. The bitterness of the years came crashing down like a tide.
A man as sturdy as a mountain wept openly in front of his family.
Tan Yiliang quickly stepped forward, patting his father’s back in comfort. “Don’t cry, Father. Once Second Brother is a bit older, I’ll go join the army. I’ll fight on the battlefield and become a great general. When I come back, you and Mother will be honored as the grandest lord and lady!”
Wan Chunmei chuckled, setting down her bowl. “Enough, enough, you just focus on keeping the vegetables in the garden alive for now.”
Erqian joined in with a laugh, “Being a vegetable general doesn’t sound too bad either!”
The room erupted into laughter, the warmth of the family pushing away the weight of the past struggles.
The Fourth and Fifth sons, holding their small bowls, joined in the laughter, their giggles light and carefree.
But Tan Yiliang lowered his head, his lips pursed in slight frustration. He wasn’t joking.
Earlier today, he’d thought it through. While he had some schooling, the family’s burdens were heavy, and pursuing the imperial exams would be near impossible. Once Second Brother grew older and stronger, he’d be at just the right age to enlist in the army. It might not guarantee great success, but it was a path forward—a way to carve out a better future for his family.
Their parents weren’t well-read, but they’d always instilled in them one key principle:
“Life isn’t too long or too short, so live it clearly. Fulfill your roles properly: as a child, be filial; as a father, upright; and as a husband, kind and generous.”
As the eldest, Yiliang bore more than just responsibility. He needed to carry this family, to ensure his younger siblings were cared for, and most importantly, to grow stronger—strong enough to ensure none of them would ever be bullied again.
As the family chatted and laughed, Little Qiyue woke up and let out a soft, babyish cry.
Tan Yiliang quickly got up and walked over to the bed. “Mom, Mom, little sister is awake.”