Chapter Twenty-Eight: In Perilous Straits

Su Jinyu was amused and patted her little brother on the back of his head.

"You rascal! Get up quickly; the ground is cold!" She bought three pear-paste candies from the shop interface, spending 10 shop coins. "These are pear-paste candies I bought in town. Take them and enjoy."

Her little brother had never tasted candy before. The last time they went to town, he had tried a candied hawthorn for the first time, so seeing these pear-paste candies felt even more exotic.

"Wow! Thank you, sister!" Su Jinxiao cradled the candies, unable to put them down. "Grandma, Aunt, everyone says girls love candy the most. Here, have one each!"

Wang Qiaohui smiled, "You little scoundrel, learning to be generous with someone else's gift. Since it's you showing filial piety, Grandma will accept it."

The more Chen Shulan looked at Su Jinxiao, the more she felt he was even more sensible and endearing than her own two sons. A six-year-old child who had lost his parents needed extra care. "Aunt accepts. Jinxiao is truly a good boy. Drink plenty of the soup I’m stewing later!"

Su Jinyu noticed the eggs hadn't been boiled yet. "Aunt, just steam the eggs in the porridge."

Chen Shulan nodded, "Fine, you gathered the eggs, so I’ll listen to you!" Although rice and flour were scarce and eggs were a luxury, if her niece wanted to eat them all, Chen Shulan wouldn’t hesitate. She took two eggs to stir-fry with some wild greens she had gathered, and boiled the remaining three with the porridge.

Before long, the aroma of mushroom chicken soup wafted through the camp, the savory scent of mushrooms and the rich fragrance of chicken spreading instantly. Other villagers caught the scent and drooled with envy. While they were stuck eating wild vegetable pancakes, coarse flour buns, or flour-lump soup—which could fill a stomach but lacked the indulgence of meat—the Su family was eating well.

Over at the old Su family’s camp, Wu Cuihua had made a pot of plain coarse-flour lump soup. It was completely water-based, without a drop of oil or even salt, tasting like chewing on dried mud. Su Wangfu’s appetite was piqued by the smell of the chicken; he felt a burning resentment. Why should those two wretches get to eat meat while he was stuck with this bland soup? Since his grandmother and parents wouldn't help him get food, he would take it himself.

He spotted Su Jinxiao sitting alone behind a rock, away from the Li family, seemingly eating something. He crept over quietly. "Su Jinxiao! What are you eating? Hand it over!"

As Su Jinxiao was savoring his candy, a chubby hand reached toward him. He slapped the hand away and stood up quickly, his face darkening. "This is something my sister bought specifically for me. What business is it of yours? Su Wangfu, if you bother me again, don't blame me for calling my uncle and cousins to beat you up!" He balled his fists, threatening his third cousin.

Su Wangfu froze for a few seconds, stunned that his once timid cousin dared to stand up to him. Seeing the boy didn't back down, Su Jinxiao shouted at the top of his lungs, "Uncle! Big brother, second brother! Someone is trying to rob and bully me!"

Su Wangfu flinched as he saw Li Tianhe and his two sons looking at him coldly and walking his way. He immediately fled back to his family's resting spot.

"Hmph! Coward. Trying to steal my food? I scared you good!" Su Jinxiao, still chewing his candy, strolled back to the three men.

"Jinxiao, did that little brat bully you?" Li Tianhe asked his nephew anxiously.

"Uncle, brothers, don't worry. Su Wangfu didn't dare to lay a finger on me. I scared him off with just a few words," Su Jinxiao said confidently.

Su Jinyu felt a sense of satisfaction. Since having family to rely on, her little brother had shed much of his former timidity.

"Wash your hands and come eat!" Chen Shulan brought the chicken soup to the oilcloth spread on the ground and began serving bowls. The family sat in a circle around the oilcloth, which held a pot of mushroom stewed chicken, a plate of stir-fried shepherd's purse with eggs, and a small dish of pickled vegetables. Chen Shulan’s pickles were a family favorite.

After a long day of traveling, they were famished. Seeing the rich chicken soup, they were eager to eat. Once Wang Qiaohui picked up her chopsticks, the others followed. In the Li family, there were no complicated rules about dividing food; they all sat together and ate their fill. Chen Shulan placed a chicken leg in Su Jinyu’s bowl, and Li Tianhe placed the second one in Su Jinxiao’s. Chen Shulan had only stewed one chicken, saving the other, salted, for the next day.

"Aunt, this chicken soup is so delicious, I'm going to have two bowls!" Su Jinyu tasted the meat; every piece was infused with the concentrated savory essence of the mushrooms. One sip of the soup and her entire body felt satisfied. Chen Shulan beamed, delighted that her cooking was appreciated, and kept piling food into her niece’s bowl.

Just as they were enjoying their meal, a shrill scream echoed from afar, drawing the attention of the surrounding villagers.

"Huzi! Huzi, wake up! Don’t scare your father!" Zheng Dali was clutching his son, Zheng Hu, crying uncontrollably. A grown man, he was now drenched in tears. His wife and parents were equally frantic, dropping their bowls and kneeling on the ground, calling the boy's name.

Other villagers hurried over to help. The village head’s eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Luo, pushed through the crowd and touched Zheng Hu’s forehead. She pulled her hand back in shock, "Dali, your son has such a high fever! His face is burning up!"

The villagers began to murmur. "The child’s face is red as a monkey’s bottom, and even his neck is crimson! This is a dangerous fever!" "Get Village Doctor Liu quickly before the boy’s brain is cooked!"

Doctor Liu arrived with his medical bag, his expression grim after an examination. "The child has a high fever, and it’s not the first time. Has he been running a fever for days?"

Zheng Dali grabbed his wife, "The doctor is asking you! Was Huzi feverish while I was away the last two days?"

His wife stammered, unable to give a straight answer, "Huzi is just naughty, always climbing trees and playing in the water, getting himself soaked and dirty. If he has a fever, he brought it on himself..."

"You talkative woman! I asked you if he had a fever, not for your nonsense!" Zheng Dali snapped, his face dark with frustration.