Chapter 4: Millet Porridge
Jing Hongyi opened his eyes right on time.

He had always been a self-disciplined child, especially now that his father was no longer around. He had to wake up early to make sure his younger sister was taken care of.

Most of the time, he left his sister with Granny Leng next door.

But after his father remarried, he could only leave his sister at home whenever he went to the academy.

Although he constantly worried, thankfully his sister was usually well-behaved—at most, she’d just go hungry.

But for some reason, his stepmother had seemed like a completely different person yesterday.

Jing Hongyi tiptoed to open the door and wash up, careful not to wake his stepmother. She was always grumpy in the morning, and if woken, she’d scold them without holding back.

Though he wasn’t really bothered by a few scoldings, who liked to wake up only to be yelled at first thing in the morning?

His sister was in his stepmother’s room right now, so he couldn’t go in easily. All he could do was silently pray that his sister would behave and not cry if she woke up and didn’t see him.

He went to the kitchen, planning to boil some water so he could have something warm to drink before leaving.

The weather was getting colder, and drinking cold water was starting to take a toll on him. Since he might not get to eat anything all day, at least some warm water would help a bit.

And if he boiled the water now, maybe his stepmother would scold his sister a little less.

But as soon as he entered the kitchen, the rising steam made his face freeze. He stared in disbelief at the woman busying herself by the stove.

Pu Jiaojiao turned around and smiled at Jing Hongyi, who was standing at the door. “The hot water is ready. Just scoop a bit of cool water from the vat to mix in. Wash up and come eat in a bit.”

Still half-dazed, Jing Hongyi followed the woman’s instructions and finished washing up.

When he reentered the kitchen and felt the warmth from the steam again, he lowered his head stiffly.

Pu Jiaojiao didn’t seem to notice his awkwardness. She quickly brought over a bowl of millet porridge and three meat buns and placed them on the table.

“Eat first. You won’t be coming back for lunch, right? I packed you a meal—you can take it with you.”

“There should be a place to heat up food at the academy, right? The weather’s still a bit chilly, and the food cools quickly. Better to warm it up so your stomach doesn’t get upset.”

After reminding him, Pu Jiaojiao didn’t pay him any further attention. She put out the stove fire, then added, “I’m going back to sleep for a bit. When you leave, close the door behind you.”

Jing Hongyi pressed his lips together and watched as Pu Jiaojiao yawned and left the kitchen without looking back.

In front of him sat a bowl of steaming millet porridge and the same three large buns from yesterday.

The golden millet porridge looked especially fragrant and glutinous, and the buns were still plump and juicy—just like yesterday.

He took a bite of one bun. It was just as delicious as what he had eaten the day before.

The rising steam blurred Jing Hongyi’s face. Soon, he lowered his head again and began eating the bun in big bites.

After Pu Jiaojiao went back to sleep, she naturally snuggled up with the soft, fragrant little girl and dozed off again.

When she woke up later, she fed Jing Xiaorui and then took her out to the market to buy groceries.

She didn’t feel comfortable leaving the girl home alone, so she simply took her along.

It was early autumn, the perfect time for fresh, spiny cucumbers. Some had just been picked, glistening with moisture. The little yellow blossoms at the ends were still blooming, signaling the very end of cucumber season.

Seeing the cucumbers, Pu Jiaojiao immediately thought about pickling them.

The pickled cucumbers she made were tangy, spicy, and slightly sweet—an excellent side dish to go with rice. She had loved them in her past life, and now that she saw fresh cucumbers in season, of course she wouldn’t pass up the chance.

However, she had checked the kitchen supplies at home, and most of the seasonings were missing. There weren’t even proper utensils for cooking—only a few very basic ones.

She could only assume her cheap husband had been just muddling through meals. No wonder the two children looked so thin and frail.

That said, her natal family ran a general store, so after buying the vegetables, she planned to stop by and pick up some everyday necessities.

If she was going to take charge of cooking, she needed to get the proper tools to do it right.

After buying a few more fresh vegetables, she swung by the pork stall and had the butcher chop a few ribs. Then, she headed home with Jing Xiaorui to drop off the groceries.

“Xiaorui, do you want to go with Mommy to Grandma’s house?”

The whole way, Jing Xiaorui had been especially well-behaved, quietly holding Pu Jiaojiao’s hand. Her gentleness softened Pu Jiaojiao’s heart again and again. She pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the fine sweat from the little girl’s forehead.

“Are you tired? If you are, you can wait at home. Mommy can go by herself,” Pu Jiaojiao said, looking at Xiaorui’s flushed cheeks, her heart aching with worry.

Jing Xiaorui clutched Pu Jiaojiao’s finger and shook her head. “Not tired, Xiaorui’s not tired. I want to be with Mommy.”

There was a trace of anxiety in her expression, and it made Pu Jiaojiao’s heart melt completely.

“Alright, then Xiaorui can come with Mommy. If you get tired, just tell me and I’ll carry you.”

Having decided, Pu Jiaojiao didn’t waste any more time and led Jing Xiaorui down another street.

Her family home wasn’t that far—after all, they lived in the same city. It couldn’t be too far no matter what.

Just two streets over was the Pu family’s general store.

Though the shop wasn’t big, it was well-stocked with a decent variety of goods.

From a distance, Pu Jiaojiao saw her father sitting at the entrance chatting with neighbors. With the original host’s memories, she felt no sense of estrangement toward these family members.

What’s more, the original host had been doted on and raised with great care by her family. It made Pu Jiaojiao envious of this kind of familial love.

It was something she had never experienced in her past life.

“Hey, Old Pu! Your girl’s back!” someone nearby spotted Pu Jiaojiao holding a child’s hand.

Pu Donglai looked up and quickly stood when he saw his daughter walking over.

She hadn’t returned even once after marrying out, and he had figured she must be upset with the family.

They really hadn’t had much choice. After she lost her reputation, no one would take her as a proper wife. Otherwise, they never would’ve agreed to let her become a stepmother.

Of course they knew being a stepmother would be tough—it pained them deeply.

At the end of the day, it was their daughter who had suffered misfortune. Those damned thugs had all been arrested, but that didn’t ease his fury one bit.

Now seeing his daughter holding the hand of that little step-granddaughter, Pu Donglai suddenly felt nervous.

“Dad, Uncle Du.” Pu Jiaojiao greeted her father and the other middle-aged man beside him.

The man laughed kindly and said, “Jiaojiao, you’re finally back. Your dad has been going on and on about you.”

“You two catch up. I’ll go tend to my shop.”

Uncle Du’s fabric store was right next to the Pu family’s general store. Pu Jiaojiao often bought fabric from him, and he always gave a fair price.

“I’ll stop by later to get some fabric,” Pu Jiaojiao replied naturally. She held Jing Xiaorui’s hand and stepped into the shop. Glancing at her father, who stood awkwardly at the doorway, she looked puzzled. “Dad, why aren’t you coming in?”