Chapter 59: Grabbing the Candy Corner

"Mom, Xiaoxiao looks spirited—maybe she ate well at home. Keep this coarse grain cake for yourself." Zhao Tiezhu mumbled through his gruel.

He knew his mother had rushed straight here to bring them food after cooking, without even eating herself, and that the two coarse grain cakes she'd just given were her own portion.

"Enough, I know. Can't even shut your mouth with food." Qiulian Niang glanced at her son, aware he pitied her, and scolded him with a smile before biting into the coarse grain cake.

After just two chews, she suddenly widened her eyes.

She knew the taste of the cake she'd made herself.

This one was crisp and flaky, bursting with fragrant flavor—definitely not hers.

Qiulian Niang looked at the coarse grain cake in her hand, now noticeably larger than when she'd handed it out, and slowly understood what had happened.

She said nothing, instead breaking the cake into three pieces: one for her son, one for Zhao Youcai.

"Mom, you eat it—you don't need to give me this…" Zhao Tiezhu started to refuse, but the cake was already shoved into his mouth.

He instinctively bit down—and instantly widened his eyes.

He could tell the difference between buckwheat coarse grain cake and fine white flour buns—he knew this was white flour, something you only ate once a year at New Year's!

"Don't talk. Just eat your food." Qiulian Niang instructed.

Zhao Tiezhu nodded eagerly, chewed two more bites, then glanced at his father. Zhao Youcai ate silently, saying nothing, but spooned half his gruel into Qiulian Niang's bowl.

"A whole cake to split three ways—looks like your whole family's starving ghosts!" Wang Shenzi watched from afar, sneering with contempt.

Then she shot a glare at her husband. "All other men know how to treat their wives—you, silent as a stone! After all these years of marriage, you've never given me a single sign!"

Wang Dachui silently gnawed his big pot cake, saying nothing.

Black spots marred the cake—burnt patches from uneven heat when baking.

He thought silently: others' wives are gentle and thoughtful, cook delicious meals—who'd marry a talkative tigress like mine?

Wang Shenzi grew angrier seeing Wang Dachui's silent demeanor, so she stood up and walked away.

As she walked, she spotted several children gathered around Jiang Xiaoxiao.

Some women had brought their children along to deliver food to the mountain—since they came up here anyway, they might as well pick wild vegetables to take home. The kids couldn't do heavy work, but picking wild vegetables was fine.

But children are children—they quickly lost interest, got distracted, and wandered off to play.

Now, several half-grown kids clustered around Jiang Xiaoxiao, staring with curiosity.

Village children were mostly raised without supervision, always rolling in mud or smearing ash on their heads, constantly dirty, some even with snot and eye gunk on their faces, wearing straw sandals with their big toes sticking out.

Today, encountering Jiang Xiaoxiao—cleanly dressed, delicate and fair-skinned—among this group of dirty little brats, she stood out sharply, drawing many stares.

"Xiaoxiao sister, where do you live? Can my brother Er Gou and I come visit you later?"

"Xiaoxiao sister, play with me too—I'll lend you my slingshot!"

"Xiaoxiao sister, play with me—I'll pick wild vegetables for you!"

"Xiaoxiao sister…"

…

Jiang Xiaoxiao looked at the swarm of brats surrounding her, hearing "Xiaoxiao sister" over and over, and sighed toward the sky.

Though young, children already had basic aesthetics—they naturally gravitated toward good-looking kids.

Like preschoolers playing house, the prettier kids were always chosen as bride or groom…

But her mental age was over twenty—she couldn't possibly play with these kids.

Jiang Xiaoxiao thought silently, placing the freshly picked wild vegetables into her back basket, preparing to slip back to her mother's side—when suddenly, several dirty little hands offered her more wild vegetables.

"Xiaoxiao sister, my mom says this wild vegetable is tasty!"

Jiang Xiaoxiao glanced at them—though these kids were usually unruly, they helped their families with chores and knew their wild vegetables well. She flashed a row of white teeth and smiled gratefully: "Thank you."

The snot-nosed brats grinned dumbly, scratched their heads, then scattered and returned moments later with more wild vegetables.

She couldn't just accept their gifts without giving something back…

Jiang Xiaoxiao thought, then pulled a Xiangtangguo from her small cloth pouch at her waist, broke it open, and gave each child a small piece.

The children's eyes lit up instantly. They forgot the wild vegetables, shoving the candy into their mouths: "So good! Xiaoxiao sister, did your mom buy this for you? Your mom's so nice…"

"Xiaoxiao, do you have more? Give me another piece," Zhao Ergou licked his lips, still hungry, eyes locked on Jiang Xiaoxiao's waist pouch.

"None left." Jiang Xiaoxiao spread her hands. These Xiangtangguo were bought in Town long ago, never eaten—she'd only tossed a few into her pouch this morning.

"I don't believe you—you've got more!" Zhao Ergou reached for her waist pouch.

Jiang Xiaoxiao stepped back quickly, frowning. "I said I don't have any—do you plan to steal from me?"

Zhao Ergou was eleven, the oldest among the kids, and always took what he wanted by force—no one dared defy him.

Jiang Xiaoxiao's refusal to give him anything angered him. "Give it or I'll beat you!"

"You didn't even help Xiaoxiao sister pick wild vegetables—why should you get any!" A child beside him stepped forward to defend Jiang Xiaoxiao.

Zhao Ergou was just like his father Zhao Youcai—lazy, sneaky, bullying the weak. He wouldn't even help pick his own family's wild vegetables, let alone Jiang Xiaoxiao's. He'd only come over when he saw her handing out candy.

Jiang Xiaoxiao had given candy to everyone equally—she hadn't expected Zhao Ergou to fixate on her.

"Don't you dare steal from Xiaoxiao sister!" Wang Goudan, eight years old and usually bullied by Zhao Ergou, now bravely stood in front of Jiang Xiaoxiao.

Before Jiang Xiaoxiao could speak, a sharp voice rang out from afar: "Goudan, get back here!"

Wang Shenzi glared at Wang Goudan blocking Jiang Xiaoxiao, furious: "Brat, what are you showing off for? If someone wants to take it, let them take it—what's it to you?"

Her gaze swept over Jiang Xiaoxiao: dressed so well—she deserved to be robbed!

"Mom!" Wang Goudan turned and cried out: "Er Gou's trying to steal Xiaoxiao sister's Xiangtangguo! Come help her!"

(End of Chapter)