Chapter 4: Explanation (A New Beginning — Welcome to Fellow Readers Embarking on a New World)

“Tsk, upstairs neighbor, your abacus beads are practically bouncing off my face.”

“Hahaha, I actually think the person above you is right. If I could trade nutritional supplements for natural food, I would too.”

“But why isn’t our little darling looking at the messages we’re sending? Look, quick!”

“Grandpa, Grandma, it’s time to eat.”

As the couple chatted with their little daughter, their granddaughter’s voice came from outside.

Taking advantage of the moment before the granddaughter entered, Liu Guoxiang quickly responded to her husband, “Child’s father, don’t say that.”

“This family isn’t just your responsibility; it’s ours together. I’ve never had the good stuff—how much have you had?”

“Enough, don’t overthink things, and don’t say such sentimental things.”

Yi Zhongxiang stood up, picked up their daughter, and headed outside. “It’s all in the past now. Be more careful in the future. Just don’t believe all those nonsense rumors.”

“My team leader said that the village fields will soon be allocated to households. When that happens, if our whole family works diligently, we won’t let you or the children go hungry again.”

Hearing this, Liu Guoxiang’s eyes brightened. “Yes, we’ll work hard together when the time comes.”

“By the way, Third Brother had Rongxin bring over a bowl of chicken. I had the eldest split it in half—one half for the grandchildren, and the other half for our little sister.”

Yi Zhongxiang looked affectionately at the daughter in his arms and smiled, “Little sister, your Third Uncle asked Brother Rongxin to bring you some chicken. Are you happy?”

“Happy.”

Yi Rongkun smiled, “Let’s have the chicken together with Dad and Mom.”

“Hahaha…”

The couple listened to their daughter’s filial words and smiled contentedly. “Mom and Dad don’t like to eat it; little sister can have it.”

“Hmph, Dad and Mom are lying.”

Yi Rongkun was no longer an ordinary six-year-old. She had dreamed many, many years into the future. Although after saving her mother, those memories were gradually fading, some important things could still be recalled if mentioned.

So when adults said they didn’t like to eat something, they were just tricking children. They simply didn’t want to eat it themselves and wanted to save it for the kids.

Pouting, Yi Rongkun said, “If you won’t eat it, then I won’t either.”

“Who doesn’t like to eat meat?”

Seeing this, Liu Guoxiang hurriedly coaxed, “Alright, alright, we’ll eat. We’ll eat with little sister, okay?”

Yi Zhongxiang laughed and agreed, “Yes, yes, we’ll eat together with little sister.”

The couple planned to pretend a bit and just make some soup to eat.

With that, the couple and their little daughter moved to the main room. Yi Shichun and Yi Shitian, the two little ones, were already sitting obediently, waiting for all the adults to gather for the meal.

On the table, besides half a bowl of chicken, there were a few small dishes that the Yi family usually could not afford to eat.

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There was even a plate of freshly boiled tender peanuts.

“Wow, boiled peanuts?” Yi Rongkun was even more delighted than when she saw the chicken.

Sister-in-law Mou Decong smiled at her, “Knowing that little miss was frightened today, I specially pulled a few peanut plants from the private plot.”

Indeed, in this place, sisters-in-law or younger sisters would refer to their younger brothers or sisters-in-law as children would. Hence, they called Yi Rongkun “little miss.”

“You can’t eat so much, little sister. The whole family will eat.”

Liu Guoxiang glanced at her daughter-in-law and said, “Here, youngest child, let Mom hold you.”

“Sit down and eat. I’ll hold her,” Yi Zhongxiang said, not handing over the daughter, and sat down at the table. He looked at his grandchildren, “Shichun, Shitian, is the chicken tasty?”

“Very tasty!” Shitian happily clapped his little hands. “Very tasty!”

“Hahaha…”

The children’s words brought hearty laughter from the whole family.

Yi Zhongxiang’s wife had given birth to three sons and three daughters. The eldest son and daughter had already started their own families, so the second generation’s population hadn’t changed but had added two grandchildren.

The entire family of ten sat together, happily enjoying their meal.

Yi Rongkun looked at the scene before her and felt happy.

In her dream, no one saved her mother. At that time, the whole family was shrouded in gloom, many people came to the house, and then...

Now, with her mother well and accompanying everyone, chatting and laughing, she liked this kind of family.

The adults discussed which private plot’s peanuts were ripe enough to be harvested soon, and that two rows of sweet potatoes needed to be tended...

They spoke of everyday rural matters.

At this time, the county’s land had not yet been allocated to households, so aside from their own private plots, all other work was done collectively.

As they ate and talked, the atmosphere was very harmonious.

On the StarNet:

“So that’s how our ancestors used to eat around the table?”

“Wow, is that porridge? It smells sweet and seems delicious.”

“I heard the ancestors say it’s sweet potato porridge, and those chunks inside are probably sweet potatoes.”

“And that dish is so salty, it makes me want to drink water.”

“But no matter what, it tastes better than nutritional supplements.”

“Little darling, please look at the messages! We have things to trade for food!”

“Please give us a glance, little darling! We really want to eat peanuts—they smell so good!”

“Psst, the chicken is delicious, and the red bits inside are soft and sweet—don’t know what they’re made of, but it’s so fragrant.”

…

Yi Rongkun had no idea that people in the stars were eagerly awaiting even a glance from her.

At that moment, she was busy dividing the chicken and carrots among her parents, brothers, sisters, and sisters-in-law.

Because her nephews and nieces had already eaten, she didn’t share with them.

Seeing her so well-behaved and thoughtful, the whole family felt quite ashamed.

Her mother had been an older mother in her forties when Yi Rongkun was born. At that time, her mother’s health was not great, so the little sister was weak from birth.

At three years old, she still couldn’t walk by herself and wasn’t very articulate.

Only in the last two years had she begun to improve, but then they went through today’s ordeal.

Rarely did Third Uncle’s family send over a bowl of meat, and she divided it all among everyone.

Even when asked to keep some for herself, she stubbornly refused—truly impossible to handle.

Yi Rongkun didn’t sense anything unusual about the family atmosphere. Seeing everyone eating the chicken she had distributed, she happily ate her meal with a face full of joy.

The family thought that since little sister only ate one piece of chicken and a few carrots, no one had really touched the boiled peanuts—they were saving them for when she got hungry.

But she wouldn’t eat alone; she not only ate herself but also shared with everyone.

She was just too adorable.

After the meal, everyone washed up and sat around the table chatting.

Third Brother Yi Rongqi curiously asked, “Little sister, how did you know Mom would take that medicine?”

Everyone wanted to know, so they all looked at the little girl with curious eyes.

Yi Rongkun blinked, “I saw it. Mom took the medicine, and not long after, many people came home. You all cried, I cried too.”

“Mom spoke, and you cried. Then she stopped talking, and everyone cried. I wanted Mom to hold me, but she ignored me.”

It was a dream, but she didn’t know why she couldn’t say that word or how to describe it more accurately.

As she spoke, tears fell, and she hugged her mother tightly, “Mom, don’t take the medicine.”