Chapter 4: Chapter Four: The Little Wooden Tablet

Yu'an pressed both hands tightly over his mouth, a flash of panic and helplessness in his big eyes.

【Fairy Sister, it's just that Great-Great-Grandmother is too clever! Yu'an didn't say anything at all!】

What should I do?

He didn't keep his word—he's a bad child who doesn't count what he says!

Is Fairy Sister very angry?

An Luo thought for a moment, then typed out a line.

【Elder Sister knows, as long as someone truly treats Yu'an well, it's fine even if they find out.】

Cheng Old Madam stroked the wooden tablet, a look of reminiscence on her face.

This was the Old Marquis's heirloom. It was said that the Cheng Family's ancestor had once used it to commune with the gods, and the Immortal not only bestowed life-saving Divine Medicine, but also, in a year of famine, granted a great deal of grain, allowing the Cheng Family to weather its most difficult moment.

But after that ancestor passed away, for over a hundred years no one had been able to use it. Who would have thought that the Cheng Family's new person blessed by the gods would actually be Yu'an…

Meanwhile, little Yu'an's heart was tangled in knots.

The tiny child had never before found himself in such a dilemma.

Great-Great-Grandmother had always taught him to be a person who keeps his word. He had promised Fairy Sister not to tell anyone about what had just happened, so he absolutely could not speak of it.

But he also could not lie to Great-Great-Grandmother.

The little fellow helplessly gazed at the sky.

So hard!

Seeing her little great-grandson's nervous, conflicted face, Cheng Old Madam let out a long sigh and hung the wooden tablet back around his neck.

"Enough, Great-Great-Grandmother won't ask anymore, but from now on you must keep this wooden tablet safe."

Yu'an nodded solemnly, his delicate little face unusually grave.

"Rest assured, Great-Great-Grandmother. Yu'an understands."

Cheng Old Madam lovingly patted his little cheek, her heart brimming with endless gratitude.

Fortunately, when Yu'an was born, they had told the outside world it was a girl; otherwise the Cheng Family wouldn't have been able to preserve even a single drop of its bloodline.

Thinking of what the one now on the throne had done to the Cheng Family since Ascending the Throne, Cheng Old Madam's gaze turned cold.

The Cheng Family Ancestral Teachings forbade taking concubines. She had two sons and one daughter; the second son had been wounded on the battlefield and had only two daughters and one adopted son.

The eldest son had one son and one daughter, but when his daughter-in-law Tian Shi gave birth to Yu'an, her body was damaged and she could bear no more—Yu'an was her only "daughter."

Now, in the eyes of the world, the Pingnan Marquis Residence's descendants had withered away; it could be said there was no one to carry on the line. Even so, was that one still not at ease, insisting on wiping them out completely?

By the river, the Jiedai were setting up a fire to roast meat.

In the distance, a burly Jiedai came riding back on Horse. Catching the roasted meat's charred fragrance filling the air, he shouted excitedly.

"Yo! Got meat to eat today, not bad at all!"

Wu Xiaowei was examining that blade. Seeing him return empty-handed, he frowned.

"Feng Shan, didn't I tell you to go buy provisions?"

Feng Shan gulped down two mouthfuls of water and casually wiped the corner of his mouth.

"There's a small village about seven or eight li ahead. Why don't we stop and rest there tonight?"

Wu Meng glanced at Cheng Old Madam, who was leaning against a large tree as if she hadn't yet recovered, and gave a slight nod.

"That works."

"He Qiang, what are you doing? Pouring on that much salt—who are you trying to make sick with the saltiness!"

"Salt's expensive, you know!"

One of the Jiedai roasting meat by the river suddenly shouted in displeasure at the person beside him.

"Sorry about that, my stomach hurt for a bit just now and my hand jerked and I spilled too much."

Having said that, the Jiedai called He Qiang clutched his stomach, looking as if the pain was severe.

"Wu Xiaowei, this Subordinate needs to go relieve himself!"

Wu Xiaowei casually waved his hand, and He Qiang immediately took off running into the woods.

Soon the meat was done, but the Jiedai only gave the Cheng Family women a few dry, hard biscuits.

Seeing biscuits hard enough to knock a bump on someone's head, An Luo's heart ached.

Wouldn't those little baby teeth just crack?

Had Yu'an been getting by on things like this all this time?

Fortunately, she had prepared steamed buns and fruit for Zaituan.

"Wow! The roasted meat smells so good!"

Cheng Jiuyue took the roasted meat from her mother Zhao Shi's hand and waved it smugly at Yu'an, showing off.

Immediately after, she got slapped on the back of the head by Zhao Shi.

"Just eat your meal properly!"

Hearing the commotion over there, Meng Shi looked toward Cheng Old Madam.

"Pomo, why would the Jiedai give them roasted meat? Could it be that Zhao Jiaojiao…"

As she spoke, she took on a look of being too embarrassed to say it.

Cheng Old Madam's aged eyes flickered, and she patted her hand.

"Each person has their own way of getting by. As long as it doesn't harm us, there's no need to pay it any mind."

Yu'an paid no attention to what was happening over on their side.

"Great-Great-Grandmother, look!"

The little fellow opened the canvas bag and, as if presenting a treasure, revealed its contents to his great-great-grandmother.

"Hiss!"

Seeing those white, plump steamed buns and the bright red fruits, Cheng Old Madam pressed down hard with her hand and quickly covered the bag tight.

"Qiuluo, come here."

She beckoned to her little granddaughter.

"Grandmother, what are your orders?"

Cheng Qiuluo hurried over and squatted down.

Cheng Old Madam whispered something in her ear, then handed her two apples.

The fruit in her hands felt heavy and dewy, a fragrance of fruit lingering at her nose, and Cheng Qiuluo swallowed.

"Wouldn't it be better to save these for you and Yu'an to eat?"

Cheng Old Madam shook her head and only said one sentence.

"Go."

Though these fruits were rare, they weren't absolutely necessary to eat; the women hadn't had anything with salt in days, and they couldn't go without salt.

Cheng Qiuluo hugged the two apples and found Wu Xiaowei.

"Wu Xiaowei, these fruits are from a kind person for Yu'an. We'd like to trade them for a piece of meat, and borrow a pot to stew some meat soup."

Looking at the large, plump, dewy fruits, Wu Xiaowei nodded.

After eating roasted meat, having a juicy fruit would be perfect.

"Fine, it's so hot anyway, the meat won't keep either, it'd be a shame to throw it out. Just cut what you need."

Soon, Cheng Qiuluo carried two pieces of meat and called for her mother and aunt and elder sister to start the fire and simmer the soup.

Off-screen, An Luo looked at the four big pig's trotters by the river that everyone had overlooked, and swallowed.

Pig's trotter and soybean soup is the best.

Thinking this, she quickly opened a certain delivery app and ordered a portion of pig's trotter and soybean soup.

Maybe she could even eat with Zaituan!

While waiting, An Luo began tidying up the shelves and picking out some things Zaituan could use.

Milk, get a few bottles!

Little biscuits, get a few bags!

Fruit can't be missing either!

……

This Bian Li Dian was left to her by her mother; after her mother passed away, she took it over.

Many friends had advised her — she graduated from a prestigious university, why not sell or lease the shop and find a good job? Why come back to run a Bian Li Dian?

Why, indeed?

Because this shop was her mother's lifework — her mother saved up bit by bit, ran her legs off, and only then managed to buy it.

Every shelf here, every lightbulb, even every tile, was installed by her mother herself.

Most importantly, this place holds the memories of her mother and her.

Soon, the delivery arrived.

And in the Live Stream Room, Yu'an held a small bowl, sipping it carefully in tiny mouthfuls.

"Delicious!"

A small bowl of meat soup flavored only with salt, soaking hard biscuit pieces — the little one ate with utter contentment.

Seeing this scene, both the Cheng Family women and An Luo off-screen felt both heartache and a pang of bitterness.

Suddenly, a voice cut through everyone's emotions.

"You're hogging the food all to yourselves! I want meat soup too!"