Chapter 6 The Two Silly Brothers

After a restless sleep, Song Shuying woke up again, feeling so hungry it was unbearable. She wanted to cry, but when she sensed her frail mother beside her, she held back her tears. Zhang Yingyue managed to cling on to life, yet she remained extremely frail. So, following her previous actions, Song Shuying reached out her small hand to the edge of Zhang Yingyue's mouth, offering her the spiritual spring water to drink. Zhang Yingyue was both frail and tired, sleeping heavily, and she swallowed subconsciously. As soon as Liu Chunhua pushed the door open, Song Shuying immediately withdrew her hand. At first, she thought her biological father had returned, but the visitor didn't utter a word, and their aura wasn't particularly friendly. As the person came closer, Song Shuying saw through her blurry vision that it was a woman. She had never met that woman, and she didn't know who that woman was. However, the fact that the income could go there gave Song Shuying a clue upon reflection. It was simply her mother's sisters-in-law. Liu Chunhua sat down by the bed, not realizing that Song Shuying had awakened. She gently nudged Zhang Yingyue and called out, “Yingyue? Yingyue, wake up. I have some good news to share with you.” A smirk of triumph inevitably crept onto Liu Chunhua's face. Zhang Yingyue was awakened by Liu Chunhua's call. Zhang Yingyue was somewhat dazed as she muttered, “Chunhua.” With a smile, Liu Chunhua said, “Congratulations are in order, Yingyue. You've finally made it. I'm honestly quite envious of you. Now, you won't have to worry about Mom's moods. Though the old house may be a bit run-down, it's more than enough for your family of six. Tianqi and Tianheng might be a bit slow, but with proper guidance, they can become hard workers. The land is close by, just behind the house. If your family puts in effort to cultivate it, it will become fertile in a few years. Just thinking about it makes me green with envy. Also, Mom has given you two chickens, one male and one female. They'll lay and hatch eggs, and by next year, you'll have a whole flock... She's also divided ten pounds of meat for you. You'll also receive thirty pounds of our fresh vegetables. Perfect for your confinement period, isn't it? You'll have both meat and vegetables to eat. Make do with what's available, right? Zhenyu, in his spare time, can even set some traps nearby. That way, you'll get to enjoy wild meat more often. Yingyue, you're truly blessed, and I'm envious. Don't get too excited, okay? Just rest well. Once Zhenming, Zhenxin, and Zhenyu have finished moving everything, Zhenyu will come to bring you and your daughter over.” After Liu Chunhua finished speaking, she noticed tears welling up in Zhang Yingyue's eyes. Pretending not to see them, she got up with a smile and left the room. After hearing Liu Chunhua's words, Zhang Yingyue quickly understood that her family had been discarded. Furthermore, the mere division of such trivial possessions held a clear implication that Zhang Yingyue fully understood. The calm she had just regained suddenly turned bitter as if she had swallowed a bitter pill. She couldn't help but wonder how her family would get through that winter. “Boo-hoo...” In the throes of her agony, Zhang Yingyue was pulled back to reality by a faint cry. She turned her head to look, and there was Song Shuying, her mouth puckered up, having let out just a tiny sob. When Zhang Yingyue looked at her, Song Shuying gave her a small smile. “Shuying, are you comforting me?” The baby's smile seemed to possess healing power, warming the heart of Zhang Yingyue and giving her the strength to rally. She was a mother, so no matter how tough things got, she knew she had to persevere. “Ah...” Song Shuying made a sound. Yes! I'm comforting you. Song Shuying looked at Zhang Yingyue, making a soft noise before smiling again. From the words of the other woman, Song Shuying learned that her family had been discarded and was in dire straits. She also had two brothers who were both mentally challenged. At the same time, they had received very little resources. Song Shuying understood what that implied. Life in the olden days was tough. It was uncertain whether their family could survive the upcoming winter, let alone the second or third one that would follow. The land was barren, signifying a perpetual scarcity of food. With insufficient food, there was nothing extra to trade for money. Without money, affording a doctor in times of illness was impossible. That was a vicious cycle. Being sent away under such circumstances was undoubtedly a path to certain doom. However, good days would gradually roll by because Song Shuying wasn't a helpless infant. For her own sake and her family, she was determined to strive and make life better for them all. The spiritual spring water could nourish the body. The whole family would then start drinking it and become strong and healthy, which would give them the energy to work in the fields. The land was scarce, but they could clear new ground. In spite of it all, they would manage to make their humble lives a bit better. However, Zhang Yingyue didn't know any of that, so Song Shuying took great care to comfort her. It was by no small miracle that Zhang Yingyue had managed to cheat death. It would be disastrous if she were to get agitated and start bleeding again. Thanks to Song Shuying's efforts, Zhang Yingyue's furrowed brows also relaxed. Clang! A noise came from near the door, prompting Zhang Yingyue to ask, “Zhenyu, is that you? Are you home?” A muffled voice sounded from outside. “Mom, can Tianheng and I come in?” Song Tianqi asked in a hushed tone. Outside the house, Song Tianqi was swatting bugs away with his restless little hands. He had heard from Song Xinghao that their mother had given birth to Song Shuying. The thought had stuck in his mind. Song Shuying, who had once moved inside their mother's belly, was born. He was curious about what she would look like, so he went along with Song Tianheng. He wanted to sneak a peek, but the room was too dark to see anything. In his carelessness, he knocked over a piece of wood by the door, causing it to make a noise. “Mom, I'd also like to see Shuying.” Song Tianheng also spoke up, his voice barely above a whisper. Upon hearing the voices of her two foolish sons, Zhang Yingyue sighed and said, “Come in.” Song Tianqi and Song Tianheng were both mentally disabled. Song Tianqi was slightly better off, while Song Tianheng was a bit more challenged. She would often repeat the same phrases, saying, “Tianqi, you must work diligently and listen to your father. Don't wander off. Tianheng, you must listen to your father and Tianqi. Work hard, and you'll have enough to eat.” Under subtle influences, the two sons, apart from their immaturity, were decent enough. They were obedient and willing to help with chores, even though they were not particularly good at them. They were obedient, never resorting to violence, and even when they were attacked, they wouldn't fight back. This pacifism led to them getting hurt several times by others. Zhang Yingyue's heart was heavy with unease when she thought about her two foolish sons. With Zhang Yingyue's consent, Song Tianqi and Song Tianheng finally pushed the door open and entered. They quickly made their way to Zhang Yingyue's side, leaning over to look at their younger sister in the bed. The awake Song Shuying also looked at the two foolish brothers. Slightly puzzled, Song Tianqi asked Zhang Yingyue, “Shuying is adorable, and her eyes look like grapes. Grapes have a sour taste. What about Shuying's eyes?” Zhang Yingyue answered with patience, “You can't eat Shuying's eyes. They are meant to see you all. They need to be well-protected. If her eyes are eaten, she won't be able to see you anymore.” Slightly perplexed, Song Tianqi uttered with a chuckle, “I won't eat them. Shuying, look at me.” Song Tianheng remained silent, seemingly pondering over what Song Tianqi had said. After a moment of thought, he shook his head and turned to Song Shuying with a smile, saying, “I won't eat your eyes.” “Ah...” Song Shuying made another sound. Hearing the silly questions from the two foolish brothers, she felt a bit of anxiety. However, her worries were put to rest when she heard Zhang Yingyue's words. What was rather disheartening was that her two brothers seemed to have something wrong with their heads. A normal person would never think to ask such a question. Song Shuying wondered if letting them drink the spiritual spring water daily would bring about any improvements. She also wondered if their foolishness could be cured. She would have to wait until she grew up and diagnosed them to find out.