Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Into Town
Qin Hui Yin stood beside the stove, watching six wild chicken eggs turn golden in the pan. The oil hissed; the smell rose rich and mouthwatering, flooding her nose until she swallowed hard.

Li Tao Hua clicked her tongue, half annoyed, half amused by how Qin Hui Yin stared at the food like it might run away. She pinched off a small bite with her chopsticks and held it up.

Qin Hui Yin blew on it, then bit down. Warm, salty, soft—her eyes practically shone. “Delicious.”

“Silly girl,” Li Tao Hua scolded, but her voice was gentler than the word.

The staple was still wild greens and corn mush. But with egg fried in oil, even the mush carried the taste of salt and fat, smelling far better than it had any right to.

When the pot was ready, Tang Lu Wu came in to help serve. She carried the wooden basin out to the table. Tang Yi Xiao followed with bowls and chopsticks, careful as if the dishes might break from being looked at too hard.

Qin Hui Yin brought out the plate of fried eggs, setting it in the center like a promise.

Li Tao Hua didn’t sit down right away. She tugged the larger bowl of corn mush toward herself, piled several big pieces of egg on top, and carried it into the inner room for Tang Da Fu.

When she returned, Tang Lu Wu had already divided the mush into bowls. Li Tao Hua’s gaze flicked over them, sharp and assessing. She reached out and snatched the bowl from in front of Tang Lu Wu.

Tang Yi Xiao had just sat down. His face went tight, eyes hardening.

Tang Lu Wu froze, hands twisting in her lap.

[Am I going to go hungry again?]

Last time she’d fallen into the water because she’d gotten dizzy. If she didn’t eat again today, who knew where she might collapse next?

Tears burned behind her eyes.

[It’s not like I want eggs. I only want wild greens. Is even that not allowed?]

She’d only ladled one scoop for herself. Mostly bitter greens, barely any mush. She’d seen it before: Qin Hui Yin didn’t like wild greens and would pick them out and throw them away. Tang Lu Wu thought it was wasteful, so she’d given herself a little extra of what they didn’t want.

She hadn’t expected punishment for it.

Li Tao Hua held the bowl for a beat, then—with a sharp motion—ladled two more scoops into it. She set it back down in front of Tang Lu Wu with a dull thump.

“Eat,” Li Tao Hua said. “What are you spacing out for?”

Tang Lu Wu stared, mouth slightly open. “Is… is that for me?”

“Who else?” Li Tao Hua snapped.

Across the table, Tang Yi Xiao let out a quiet breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

If Li Tao Hua and Qin Hui Yin refused to feed his sister again, he’d planned to give her his share. He’d wanted to last time too, but Tang Lu Wu had insisted his health was weak and refused. If it happened again, he’d force her to eat, whether she wanted to or not.

Thankfully, the bowl sat full in front of her now.

Li Tao Hua pulled Tang Yi Xiao’s bowl closer next.

This time, Tang Yi Xiao didn’t react as sharply. He watched, tense.

Li Tao Hua ladled two scoops into his bowl as well.

Then she scooped the last of the mush into Qin Hui Yin’s bowl, carried the empty basin back to the kitchen, and returned, wiping her hands on her apron like the matter was settled.

The Tang siblings kept their heads down, drinking mush and chewing wild greens. The golden fried eggs sat in the center of the table, untouched, as if they didn’t dare reach.

“Eat some,” Qin Hui Yin urged, and without waiting, she placed pieces of egg into both their bowls.

Neither moved right away.

Tang Yi Xiao finally looked up, his suspicion plain.

[So kind?]

[Whenever there was something good, it always went to her first. Only after she ate until she was sick did anyone else get a turn. She’s generous today—what’s wrong with the eggs?]

He was young, but he wasn’t easy to fool. Tang Yi Chen had taught him from childhood not to trust kindness too easily. In this world, kindness usually had a price.

Qin Hui Yin didn’t care what he thought. She followed her own decision.

She put an even bigger piece of egg into Li Tao Hua’s bowl and said sweetly, “Mom, eat more.”

Tang Yi Xiao waited, watching.

When he saw Li Tao Hua and Qin Hui Yin both eat without hesitation, he finally picked up the egg in his bowl.

[Tasty.]

[How long has it been since I ate something this good?]

His feelings tangled. Whatever Li Tao Hua and Qin Hui Yin were after, free eggs were still free eggs. Only a fool would refuse.

With a grudging sigh, he picked up another piece and dropped it into Tang Lu Wu’s bowl.

Tang Lu Wu flinched and glanced nervously at Li Tao Hua and Qin Hui Yin. Qin Hui Yin kept eating as if nothing mattered. Li Tao Hua’s lips pressed into a line—she looked a little unhappy, but she didn’t stop it.

After the meal, Tang Lu Wu volunteered to wash the dishes.

[So full… I’m actually full.]

By the time she finished scrubbing and came back inside, Qin Hui Yin was already lying down, asleep. Her breathing was steady, her face relaxed in a way Tang Lu Wu had never seen from her before.

Tang Lu Wu sat beside her for a while, watching.

Everything that happened today felt like a dream. If they could live like this every day… maybe Father marrying a stepmother wouldn’t be such a terrifying thing.

—

Going to town meant waking before dawn.

When Qin Hui Yin stirred, she heard movement in the kitchen and wandered over, still half-asleep. In the dim moonlight, Tang Lu Wu was at the stove, making flatbreads with careful hands. When she heard footsteps, she turned, nervous but hopeful.

“Yesterday you said you were going to town,” Tang Lu Wu said quietly. “I wanted to make a few flatbreads for you and Auntie Li to eat on the road.”

“Come with us,” Qin Hui Yin said.

Tang Lu Wu blinked. “Me?”

“We’re buying medicine for Tang Yi Xiao today,” Qin Hui Yin said, rubbing sleep from her eyes. “You know his condition better than we do. It’s best you come and take a look.”

Tang Lu Wu’s throat worked. “Is that… okay?”

“Of course.” Qin Hui Yin yawned. “I’ll go wash my face. You handle this.”

Tang Lu Wu had planned to keep the same careful rhythm as yesterday—work hard, stay useful, avoid giving Auntie Li a reason to be angry. She hadn’t expected to be taken into town, much less for her brother’s sake.

From what she’d seen, Auntie Li really doted on Sister Yin. If Sister Yin stayed like this—easy to talk to, willing to share—then maybe the house would finally feel like a home again.

A thin flicker of hope rose in her chest.

Tang Lu Wu made several flatbreads. She left one for Tang Yi Xiao and one for Tang Da Fu. Li Tao Hua and Qin Hui Yin each got one. Tang Lu Wu ate half of her own and wrapped the rest to save.

When Li Tao Hua saw Qin Hui Yin bringing Tang Lu Wu along, she complained immediately, “Why are you taking her? The ox cart costs money—two wen per person. If we leave her behind, we can buy another jin of cornmeal.”

Tang Lu Wu hurried to say, “I’ll walk. I won’t ride the ox cart.”

“No,” Qin Hui Yin said before Li Tao Hua could latch onto that. “If we walk, we walk together. If we ride, we ride together.”

She lifted her chin toward the road. “We’ll be buying things. Someone has to carry them. The two of us can’t haul everything back.”

Li Tao Hua hesitated. After they pawned the clothes and the silver hairpin, they’d definitely buy rice and flour. They would need an extra pair of hands.

Her mouth tightened, but she didn’t argue again.