Chapter 8 The First Satisfying Meal

Slightly scratching his head in confusion, Song Tianheng asked, “Dad, what is a bad luck charm?” Sorrow was etched deeply on Song Zhenyu's face, his tears falling heavily to the ground. He didn't respond to his son's question, for a painful lump had formed in his throat, leaving him speechless. He dared not look at his son, fearing his tears would unsettle them. After all, he was their pillar of support and protector. Song Zhenyu quickened his pace, and soon, Song Tianqi and Song Tianheng forgot about waiting for an answer, jogging to catch up. Song Ruying, cradling Song Shuying in her arms, also walked quite swiftly. Song Shuying was unable to fall asleep. She was genuinely afraid that her frail, older sister might suddenly topple over and send her flying. Thankfully, despite her thin frame, Song Ruying could still walk steadily. Throughout the journey, quite a few villagers came out to watch, but no one spoke a word. Song Zhenyu didn't have the time to chat either. The old house of the Song family, located at the end of the village, was quite a distance away from the last household. Essentially, their family's food supply came from a few square meters of barren land stretching up the hill behind their house, located on the slope of the mountain at the back of the village. The land was filled with wild grass. The old house had a somewhat damaged roof. The earthen walls of the house had deteriorated in many places, with moss adding a touch of green to the scene. The wooden door was so decayed that a child of three or five could easily crawl through it. The only advantage was that it was brightly lit. The house was surrounded by weeds that reached up to one's knees. The old well was also overgrown with aquatic plants, and the water reeked terribly. The old house, abandoned for decades, once again welcomed a new owner. There was a melancholy in Zhang Yingyue's eyes. Song Zhenyu, with a smile, said to her, “Yingyue, you should rest first. You haven't eaten anything today. We can tidy up the house tomorrow. I'll go and start the fire, wash the grain, and cook. Let's, as a family, have a hearty meal today.” With a hint of worry in her voice, Zhang Yingyue said, “Zhenyu, I'm not hungry. We don't have much food, and winter is approaching. We should ration it.” They had a generous amount of food left, but Zhang Yingyue didn't want to overindulge. Song Zhenyu gently smoothed Zhang Yingyue's hair and reassured her, “Don't worry, Yingyue. The mountains are abundant with resources. Our family will surely thrive. We must start off right by having a full meal. From now on, we'll never go hungry again.” Zhang Yingyue could not refute, with no choice but to nod heavily, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “All right,” she said. Regardless of whether we can survive the winter, we are together as a family. In life, we're united, and even in death, we'll remain so. Zhang Yingyue was still too weak to get up, but her family consumed her thoughts. She heard Song Zhenyu calling Song Ruying to help him cook by starting the fire. She also heard Song Zhenyu instructing Song Tianheng and Song Tianqi to clear the weeds in the yard. He turned it into a competition, promising an extra piece of meat at dinner to the one who pulled out the most weeds. The two brothers were in a friendly competition, working with all their might. She also heard the crowing of chickens from outside the house. Before long, the scent of fireworks filled the air. Gently, Zhang Yingyue lowered her gaze to the peacefully sleeping Song Shuying, whispering softly, “Shuying, we can only get better from here, right?” As the sun set, the dusk's red glow was incredibly beautiful. Zhang Yingyue, captivated by the streaming rays of the twilight, found it to be utterly breathtaking. In the previous household, their family lived in a back room that was constantly shadowed and dim. They had never seen the light of dawn. At that moment, Zhang Yingyue thought the scenery was incredibly beautiful. By nightfall, Song Zhenyu had prepared a hearty stew with cured meat and cooked a fragrant pot of white rice. He served a generous bowl of white rice to Zhang Yingyue. Assisting Zhang Yingyue to sit up for her meal, Song Zhenyu uttered with a hint of regret, “We have one rooster and one hen, but the hen hasn't laid any eggs yet. Otherwise, you could have some eggs to eat. Next year, we'll raise a brood of chicks. When the time comes, I'll slaughter a couple for you to feast on.” Zhang Yingyue had just given birth, a time when she needed to replenish her strength with nutritious foods, yet he couldn't provide her with anything. With a smile, Zhang Yingyue said, “I'm not really a fan of chicken. I'd rather save it to sell for money to buy fabric to make clothes for you guys. You've given me so much white rice. Do you have enough to eat? Is there enough left for Tianqi and Ruying?” Even though life was tough, the kindness she received from Song Zhenyu always brought sweetness to her heart. The couple shared a glance and smiled together. As she spoke, Zhang Yingyue found herself unable to continue eating. “Fetch me another bowl. I have a small appetite, and there's no way I can finish all of this. I'll split it in half.” Song Zhenyu's eyes were rimmed with red, choking up slightly as he said, “Go ahead and eat. I've cooked four bowls of grain, so there's plenty. We won't be able to finish it all. Our little girl hasn't even had her milk yet. She must be starving. You still have to give her some of your food.” Song Shuying was such an obedient child that, had it not been for Dr. Wang's reassurance about her well-being, Song Zhenyu would have thought she was unwell. That child was as if she somehow understood the situation at home. Each time she woke up, she didn't fuss or cry. All she needed was a few diaper changes and a little bit of water. After that, she would fall back asleep. Zhang Yingyue gave in and began to eat her meal after hearing Song Zhenyu's words. Yet, she also insisted on asking Song Zhenyu to eat. Song Zhenyu, smiling, agreed to go. Before leaving, he even said, “Yingyue, just eat to your heart's content. If you're still hungry, just let me know. There's plenty more where that came from.” With tears in her eyes, Zhang Yingyue nodded. She ate her meal meticulously, ensuring not to drop a single grain of rice. That particular meal, everyone in the family had their fill. Soon after finishing her meal, Zhang Yingyue began feeding Song Shuying. Song Shuying was quite cooperative. After being hungry for most of the day, she had finally had her fill. Zhang Yingyue's energy improved significantly after she had her dinner. Before bed, Song Zhenyu had prepared a medicinal brew for her. Zhang Yingyue, naturally aware of the effort it took to make the medicine, drank every last drop without leaving any behind. In the house with two rooms and two beds, the weary family drifted off into dreamland. Late into the night, Song Shuying gently placed her small hand on Zhang Yingyue's lips, continuing to feed her the spiritual spring water. Zhang Yingyue woke up in a daze. Startled, she quickly pushed Song Shuying away. She muttered, “I had a full meal last night. Why am I nibbling on your hand again?” As she spoke, Zhang Yingyue got up, changing Song Shuying's diaper. After that, she wrapped Song Shuying's hands in the diaper, gently tying the diaper up with a cloth rope. Song Shuying was caught off guard. I've miscalculated. Zhang Yingyue looked at the obedient Song Shuying and couldn't help but kiss her cheek, saying, “Shuying, you're such a good girl.” After changing the diaper, Zhang Yingyue fed Song Shuying again before she could finally rest easy and continue her sleep. Zhang Yingyue wasn't sure why, but she felt incredibly comfortable, not weighed down in the slightest. After having a full meal, Song Shuying let out a satisfied burp and drifted off into dreamland. She was still an infant, so naturally, she spent most of her time sleeping. The next morning, Song Zhenyu woke up early, kindling a fire to prepare a meal. Another winter had to be endured, and that day's meal wasn't as good as the previous day's. The grain was mixed with crushed corn on the cob and eaten with a soup scant on broth. While Zhang Yingyue was eating, Song Shuying was watching. Song Shuying was familiar with grain, an age-old staple. Corn is mixed with the rice, right? Corn was first documented during the thirty-fourth year of the Taihe reign of the Tian Dynasty, as recorded in “The Historical Records,” where it was referred to as barley. Song Shuying knew Song Zhenyu and Zhang Yingyue were both from ancient times, but she was unsure of which dynasty they were living in.