Chapter 13: Think it Through
They really don’t want to live like that anymore.
Not getting enough to eat, feeling hungry all day like a drum beating in the stomach, and getting scolded for drinking a few sips of water. Stealing a cucumber is even worse, guaranteed to result in being beaten and scolded severely.
“I really wish Mother would stay like this, always letting us eat our fill from now on,” Bai Midou whispered.
The other three children nodded in agreement.
They had endured hardship for too long. Their demands were not high—they didn’t mind doing more work as long as they could eat their fill and avoid being randomly scolded or hit.
“There’s something I’ve been afraid to say…” Bai Lixia glanced at the others and cautiously continued, “Could it be that Mother suddenly being so nice to us means there’s something else waiting for us?”
—
The entire room fell into a terrifying silence, where even their breathing could be heard distinctly.
Fear and helplessness were evident on the faces of all four.
“I’ve thought about this too…” Bai Shuiliu steadied herself and gently patted her younger sister’s head. “But none of us can be sure about this matter or what will happen in the future.”
“I think we shouldn’t speculate too much here. No matter how much we think about it, we won’t know what might happen. Let’s just go on and see. If something happens, we’ll deal with it then. Besides, with your Elder Sister here, you all shouldn’t be afraid.”
“Alright, let’s not sit here anymore. Let’s quickly go to sleep. There’s still an acre of field to weed tomorrow morning. We need to get up early to finish it before Mother gets upset…”
If she gets upset, even this little bit of good will be lost, which would be too despairing.
After Bai Shuiliu spoke, the other three quickly lay down and closed their eyes.
After a day of hard work, they had eaten a satisfying dinner, so they weren’t kept awake by hunger. Moreover, the coolness left by the daytime rain hadn’t completely dissipated, and soon the children drifted off to sleep.
On the other hand, Su Mulan in the east room tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
The harsh living conditions were one reason.
In modern society, she was a business elite and a gourmet enthusiast with a stable financial foundation. Her own apartment was elegantly decorated and cozy.
But now, the dilapidated house, the hard and uncomfortable wooden plank bed, and the mosquitoes buzzing around… truly affected her sleep.
And the second reason for her insomnia…
After spending most of the day here, She basically sorted out the memories of the original owner’s mind and inspected the actual condition of the house, which can be described in one word — POOR!
In capital letters.
Just recently after the summer harvest, the house was practically stocked with only half a barrel of cornmeal, half a barrel of sweet potato flour, and a small half bag of wheat flour. Additionally, there’s a pile of sweet potatoes harvested shortly after the spring planting inside her current room, and with only a dozen or so copper coins left in the money box.
In this case, considering the daily consumption of food for one adult and four children in the household, these supplies won’t last until the fall harvest, let alone additional expenses like new clothes or unexpected medical needs.
Earning money is urgent.
But how to earn money is a big problem.
Especially in this environment, it’s like trying to make rice without rice; no matter how dominant she was in the business world before, this era cannot provide her with a platform to showcase her talents.
She needs to think this through carefully…
—
The next day, the rooster crowed three times.
After a long while, Bai Shuiliu looked at the sunlight streaming in through the window and suddenly felt startled.