Li Shuying nodded and without another word, she crouched beside the bundles and began taking out the supplies one by one.
Chicken, rabbit meat, eggs, coarse grains, chicken, vegetables...
Chen Meilan was momentarily caught off guard. But she said nothing. She had already chosen to trust her children.
Even the question of how much money they had—she suppressed it. Some matters, once asked, could no longer be taken back. She exhaled slowly, forcing down her astonishment, and spoke instead in a practical tone.
"So," she said, "what do you propose we make for your father?"
Li Shuying listed them one by one,"Salted eggs, oil-sealed shredded chicken, dried rabbit meat, steamed cornmeal cakes, dried sweet potato slices, and pickled greens."
Chen Meilan frowned slightly as she listened. "It is early autumn," she said. "The nights are damp, no sunlight, and most importantly—we have no time. How do you plan to make dried rabbit meat and dried sweet potato slices?"
Li Shuying only smiled, "I have a way." ofcourse I'll make it in my kitchen in system space where there is microwave, she thought.
Without delay, she rolled up her sleeves and began assisting with the preparations. The small kitchen soon filled with quiet activity.
Li Jianmin crouched by the stove, tending the fire, occasionally feeding it with dried twigs. The flames flickered, casting warm shadows along the earthen walls.
Li Jianguo, meanwhile, had already set out toward the brigade office to request a letter of introduction from Brigade Leader Liu.
Inside, Chen Meilan worked steadily.
Her knife moved rhythmically as she sliced vegetables for pickling, the faint tak-tak sound echoing softly in the room.
As she worked, a faint smile curved upon her lips. "Your father loved tea eggs," she said suddenly, her tone soft with remembrance. "Back before private trade was banned, he would take me to the county whenever he came home. No matter how busy he was, he would always buy a few tea eggs for me."
She let out a quiet sigh.
"But nowadays… who even sees such things anymore? Eggs themselves are precious, and tea…" She shook her head. "Tea has become something rare."
Li Shuying paused. She looked at the faint curve of her mother's lips—the quiet warmth that lingered there—and felt a dull ache stir in her chest.
Her mother had not seen her husband for nearly a year.
Resuming her work, Li Shuying spoke as if casually, "Mother… do you miss Father as well?"
Chen Meilan did not even hesitate."What kind of question is that?" she replied. "Of course I miss your father."
Her gaze drifted, as though crossing years in a single breath. A smile, brighter now, spread across her face. "Back then," she said, "within ten villages, there was not a single young man who could compare to your father in looks."
She paused, her eyes softening as memories unfolded before her.
"He was tall—straight as a pine on the mountainside. Broad shoulders, a firm back… when he walked, even the wind seemed to follow him."
Her voice carried quiet admiration.
"His features were sharp and upright. Thick brows, bright eyes… when he looked at someone, it felt as though he could see straight into their heart. And that nose—high and straight. Not soft like those delicate scholars. Your father had the face of a man who could endure hardship."
She clicked her tongue lightly, half amused.
"In summer, when he worked in the fields, his skin would turn a deep bronze. Even in worn-out clothes, drenched in sweat…" she huffed softly, "I tell you, half the unmarried girls in the surrounding villages would find excuses just to pass by."
Her tone turned half-proud, half-irritated.
"And yet he would keep a straight face all day, as if he saw none of them. Cold as ice on the outside… but stubborn to the bone."
After a moment, she glanced at Li Shuying.
"You have his eyes."
Then, more quietly, she added,
"Back then, people used to say—whoever married your father would enjoy a lifetime of fortune."
Li Shuying could not help but smile. Hearing her mother speak like this—it felt both unfamiliar and warm. She studied her mother's face, noting the genuine joy that lingered there whenever she spoke of her father.
"Mother," she asked, curiosity rising, "how did you and Father meet?"
Chen Meilan's expression stiffened almost imperceptibly. A faint flush crept across her cheeks as memories surfaced—memories she could not possibly share with her thirteen-year-old daughter.
She let out a small chuckle, masking her thoughts. "We met through a matchmaker," she said lightly. "The marriage was arranged by my parents—and agreed to by your father."
Her tone turned faintly bitter. "Your step-grandmother and grandfather had no intention of arranging his marriage. To speak plainly—they did not wish to spend money on betrothal gifts. It was your father who borrowed money from his comrades and married me."
Li Shuying frowned slightly. "But… he must have seen you before, right?" she asked. "Otherwise, why would he send a matchmaker?" She tilted her head thoughtfully. "When you married, Father was already in the army. And your maternal village is nearly sixty li away… so how did he choose you without ever seeing you?"
Chen Meilan froze. For a brief moment, she was utterly caught off guard. She had thought her explanation flawless...
Yet who would have expected this child to be so sharp?
A low chuckle suddenly rose from behind them.
Li Jianmin, who was crouched by the stove, feeding the fire, could no longer hold it in.
"Little Shuying," he said with a teasing grin, "don't you understand? Mother simply doesn't wish to speak of how she first met Father. Such matters… are not for a young girl like you to hear."
Chen Meilan's already flushed face deepened several shades. She shot him a sharp glare. "Stop spouting nonsense," she scolded, her voice carrying both embarrassment and authority. "Mind the fire instead. If you burn yourself, don't come crying to me."
Li Jianmin immediately lowered his head, though the corners of his lips still twitched with suppressed laughter.
Li Shuying watched the exchange, amusement flickering in her eyes. She did not press the matter further.
Instead, her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
She tried to recall her father's face.
But a faint disappointment settled in her heart. She could not remember it at all.
In her previous life, more than sixty years had passed. Time had eroded many things.
The last time she had seen her father… was at the execution ground. His face had been gaunt, hollowed by suffering, bruised in dark purples and sickly blues—no longer the man her mother now described with such quiet pride.
A dull ache rose within her chest. But she pressed it down firmly. This life, this second chance was not meant for regret. It was meant to be lived, to be changed. She would not allow herself to be consumed by sorrow again.
Then Li Jianmin spoke again, his tone lighter now, though still curious. "Mother," he said, glancing up, "Father is so handsome and upright. I once heard from Grand-aunt Li and Aunt He that you were also very fair and beautiful when you married into this family."
He tilted his head, studying her. "Then… how did you become like this?" The words were simple. But they struck deeper than he intended.
The faint smile on Chen Meilan's lips faltered. For a brief moment, her knife stilled against the cutting board. She let out a quiet sigh. "Life's hardships," she said gently, "have simply worn me down."
Li Shuying lowered her gaze. She knew her mother was not telling the whole truth.
She had once heard her maternal grandmother speak of it. In those days, Chen Meilan had been known for her beauty—her skin fair as fresh snow, her features delicate and refined. She had been raised with care, almost like a young lady from a well-kept household.
But after marrying into the Li family everything had changed.
Under Wang Chunhua's watchful eye, and Sun Guifeng's veiled jealousy, her mother had been driven to exhaustion. Household chores at dawn. Field labor under the scorching sun. Day after day, without rest.
The relentless exposure darkened her skin. Hunger hollowed her cheeks. Fatigue stole the softness of her youth.
And even after they separated from that household, life did not grow kinder. If anything, it grew harsher.
Now, though Chen Meilan was only thirty-three, she looked closer to forty. The years had not merely passed over her. They had pressed down upon her.
Li Jianmin, however, accepted Chen Meilan's explanation without suspicion. To him, such words carried the weight of truth; after all, hardship was something every household in those years understood too well.
He straightened slightly and said earnestly, "Mother, you should take better care of your health. Now that Little Shuying knows people who can provide us with supplies, there is no need for you to keep tightening your belt. You should eat well—eat to your heart's content."
His tone grew more animated as a thought struck him.
"And when I go to Baicheng tomorrow, I will buy you a tin of snow cream. I heard it is only available in the cities—fragrant and nourishing for the skin. One of the girls in my class uses it, and her complexion is smooth and glowing. If you and Little Shuying use it, your skin will surely improve as well."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted toward Li Shuying. He paused, then laughed lightly. "On second thought, Little Shuying might not even need it," he said. "Her skin is already as fair as jade. You only need to eat properly. Once you gain a little flesh, you will surely become the most beautiful girl within a hundred li."
Chen Meilan could not help but smile at his words. Her gaze softened as she looked at her daughter. "That is true," she said warmly. "Little Shuying, your complexion is indeed rare—clear and fair, unlike most girls in the village who spend their days under the sun. You are only thirteen now… when you come of age, who knows how many matchmakers will be knocking at our door."
Li Jianmin immediately interrupted, his tone brimming with confidence. "What matchmakers?" he scoffed lightly. "Our Little Shuying will go to university. She will receive a proper work assignment and obtain an urban household registration. When the time comes, she will marry in the city—perhaps even a cadre or a government official."
Chen Meilan chuckled, nodding in agreement. "You are right," she said. "My daughter will not remain in this backwater village. She will marry into the city and live a proper life."
Li Shuying, however, fell momentarily silent.
A faint daze crept into her expression as she listened to her mother and brother speak of her future as though it were already decided.
Almost unconsciously, she raised her hand and touched her own cheek.
Smooth.
Yet… there was a certain hollowness beneath her fingers.
In truth, she did not clearly know what she looked like. In this era, it was not unusual. Their home had no mirror. For most rural people, appearance was something known only through the words of others.
In her previous life she had seen her own reflection for the first time after she was detained.
After she had killed the man—and his family—who had kept her as a forced bride.
That face… It had not been beautiful. It had been worn, darkened by sun and suffering, disheveled and hollow, like a withered branch clinging stubbornly to life.
She always heard the same words of insults hurled at her from Wang Chunhua, from Sun Guifeng, from Li Guofu… and even today, from Zhao Xiaojun.
Vixen.
Witch.
Back then, she had always believed those words were nothing more than spiteful curses.
But now hearing her brother speak of her as beautiful she felt something shift within her.
A quiet curiosity. A faint, unfamiliar stirring. For the first time Li Shuying wondered what she truly looked like.
By the time they finished preparing everything, the night had already settled over the village.
When Li Jianhua finally stepped into the house, he paused almost imperceptibly.
His gaze fell upon the scene before him his mother, his younger sister, and his two brothers, all seated quietly, as though they had been waiting for him.
A lump rose in his throat. But, as always, he pressed it down. His expression returned to its usual calm restraint, and without a word, he moved to pass by them, intending to retreat to his room as he always did.
"Elder Brother." Li Shuying's voice stopped him.
He turned slightly.
She had already risen and was walking toward him, her steps light yet deliberate. In her hands were two coarse buns and a salted egg.
"Try this," she said gently, offering them to him. "These are for you."
Li Jianhua was momentarily taken aback. No one had questioned him. No one had asked where he had been or why he returned late as always.
A faint redness crept into his eyes.
He accepted the food, his voice low as he asked, "Have you all eaten?"
Li Shuying smiled and nodded. "We have," she replied softly. "We were just waiting for you to come back… there is something we wanted to tell you."
Li Jianhua's brows drew together slightly. "What is it?" he asked.
But Li Shuying did not answer immediately. Instead, she gently guided him to sit with them and placed the food neatly before him. "Eat first," she said, her tone carrying a quiet insistence. "Then tell us how it tastes."
Li Jianhua glanced at each of them in turn. Their faces, illuminated by the kerosene lamp. He lowered his gaze. Slowly, he picked up the bun and took a bite.
Across from him, Li Shuying watched closely. Her lips curved in a soft smile, but her eyes were sharp, attentive. She noticed it immediately the slight tremor in his hands.
For a brief moment, her smile faltered. But she said nothing.
Li Jianhua finished the bun, then peeled the salted egg and ate it in a few quick bites. When he was done, he gave a small nod. "It is good," he said simply.
Chen Meilan's face brightened slightly. "Then it is settled," she said with quiet satisfaction. "Your father will surely like it. You and your father have always shared the same taste. I was worried, because I made it after many years."
Li Jianhua frowned faintly. "What are you talking about? Is father coming?" he asked.
Before Chen Meilan could respond, Li Jianmin spoke up. "Elder Brother, tomorrow the three of us will go to Baicheng to visit Father," he said. "You have classes even on the weekend, so we did not ask you to come along. If you have anything you wish to say to Father, you can tell me—I will pass it on."
Li Jianhua froze for a moment. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. But it passed quickly. So quickly that one might think it had never been there at all. He lowered his gaze, as though the weight of something unseen pressed upon him. He seemed about to speak but no words came. In the end, he merely shook his head.
"Nothing," he said quietly. "Just take care of yourselves." His tone was calm.
Everyone present felt it.
Even Chen Meilan's brows knitted slightly.
They all knew Li Jianhua's nature—cautious, meticulous, always concerned about his younger siblings to the point of being almost overbearing.
Under normal circumstances, he would have given a dozen instructions, warnings layered upon warnings.
But now there was nothing.
Chen Meilan's unease deepened. Yet she held her tongue. They had already agreed they would not press him. Not unless he chose to speak of his own accord.
Li Jianhua finished the remaining food in silence. Then, without another word, he stood and returned to his room. The wooden door closed softly behind him.
Li Shuying's gaze lingered on that closed door. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
This time she was certain. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
The tremor in his hands.
The restraint in his voice.
The emptiness in his response.
None of it was normal.
A faint chill crept into her heart. But she did not speak of it. Instead, she made a silent decision. On Monday she would find out the truth herself.
She only hoped it was not something beyond her control.
----
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