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She eagerly took out the handkerchief from her bosom and showed it to Wei Pozi, boasting, "Mother, I made this handkerchief for Xingxing. Do you think it's good enough?"

Bai Xiaofeng was always skilled with needle and thread. Wei Pozi looked at it, and saw that the small square of fabric was exquisitely crafted by Bai Xiaofeng. The stitching was tight and fine, and at the bottom of the handkerchief, there was a tiny embroidered apricot, which was very beautiful.

Wei Pozi praised her endlessly, "Very nice. Among my three daughters-in-law, you are the most thoughtful."

Bai Xiaofeng walked as if on air after being praised by Wei Pozi. She took her embroidery back to the room and started making clothes for Xingxing with renewed enthusiasm.

She also boasted to Yu Erhu, "Mother just praised me, saying I'm the most thoughtful among the daughters-in-law!"

Bai Xiaofeng felt elated.

Tomorrow, she would have to tell her eldest sister-in-law and the wife of the third brother too!

She had to let it slip casually!

Chapter 10: A Human Foot

It had been sunny for the past two days. Wei Pozi flipped through the heart-burning grass drying on the balcony, feeling particularly cheerful.

At this quality, another day of sun would be enough to dry the heart-burning grass properly.

Tomorrow, they would go to the county market and sell the heart-burning grass to buy some grain.

Thinking of this, Wei Pozi couldn't help but smile and went out in a good mood.

The work in the fields wasn't heavy today, so not all the men in the Yu family needed to go. Yu Daniu planned to visit Mount Langshen at the back of the village to set some traps, hoping to catch a rabbit or a pheasant by luck.

Huai Geer and Bai Geer, who were already young teenagers, followed their father Yu Daniu into the mountains.

Liu Ge'er had always been frail and seldom ventured into the mountains, while Gui Ge'er was still too young to go deep into the forest—it wasn't safe. With nothing much to do at home, the two decided to take Xingxing and call on Ju Ge'er, planning to dig some wild vegetables near the village to help out at home.

But when Ju Ge'er stepped out of his house and saw Xingxing, he became very unhappy, turned his head away, and pouted, saying he wouldn't go.

Liu Ge'er asked, "You really won't come?"

"No, no, no!"

Gui Ge'er followed up, "If you say you won't go now, don't you dare complain to Third Aunt later that we didn't let you play with us."

Feeling humiliated, Ju Ge'er glared angrily at his two older brothers and gave Xingxing a fierce look before turning and running away, his chubby back showing determination.

Xingxing was still a bit confused, tilting her little head in puzzlement.

Seeing this, Liu Ge'er and Gui Ge'er shrugged and didn't bother calling Ju Ge'er again; they just led Xingxing out the door.

Gui Ge'er noticed Xingxing carrying a bamboo basket that was taller than her short legs and chuckled, stretching out his hand to measure her height and remarking, "Sister Xingxing, you're really quite short."

Xingxing responded earnestly, "But Grandma said Xingxing is still young and will grow taller!"

She nodded her little head in self-affirmation and then strained to lift the basket, demonstrating, "Xingxing wants to grow as tall as Big Brother!"

However, Xingxing was simply too small and weak. After lifting it once, she ran out of strength and exclaimed, "Oops!" as she fell to the ground with the basket.

Liu Ge'er and Gui Ge'er quickly helped Xingxing up.

Xingxing smiled innocently, a blade of grass stuck to her head, making her face look even more endearingly silly.

Liu Ge'er and Gui Ge'er couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Near the village, the wild fields had been thoroughly foraged, leaving only some weeds behind. The three siblings, undeterred, ventured deeper into the fields.

The wild fields at the foot of Mount Langshen were vast, but due to consecutive years of natural disasters, the wild vegetables grew sparsely, mixed with inedible weeds. The three siblings dug here and there, quickly breaking into a sweat.

Liu Ge'er glanced at the bamboo basket in his hand, which was already brimming with wild vegetables. He remarked curiously, "Usually it's hard to find wild vegetables, but we've found quite a lot today."

Gui Ge'er, being the youngest, couldn't help but smack his lips. "Auntie's wild vegetable pancakes are so delicious!"

Both Liu Ge'er and Gui Ge'er were born to Bai Xiaofeng of the second family, but to be fair, their mother's cooking was decent, yet it couldn't match Auntie's skills.

The two exchanged a glance. "Let's dig some more, so Auntie can make more wild vegetable pancakes!"

Their spirits lifted, they were about to roll up their sleeves and continue when they heard Xingxing suddenly let out a trembling "ah" not far away.

Liu Ge'er and Gui Ge'er were startled and hurried over. They found Xingxing sitting on a patch of grass, her small hands trembling as she pointed ahead, clearly terrified.

Following Xingxing's finger, Liu Ge'er and Gui Ge'er looked but saw nothing at first.

It was just a grassy area!

Both were puzzled, helping Xingxing to her feet while asking, "What is it?"

Xingxing, panicking, pointed again. "Brother, there, there!"

The two stretched their necks to look where she was pointing—towards a lush, grassy area. After a closer inspection, they finally noticed a human foot in the grass!

Even Liu Ge'er, the oldest at ten years old, was thoroughly frightened!

The three siblings were so frightened that they huddled together!

It took Liu Ge'er a while to recover his composure. Thinking of himself as the older brother and already ten years old, he felt it was his duty to protect his younger brother and sister.

Gui Ge'er and Xingxing were still so young!

Liu Ge'er mustered up all his courage, swallowed hard, and stepped forward to part the thick grass. Only then did he realize that there lay a half-grown youth inside!

The youth had lost one of his shoes and was unconscious, his face deathly pale.

Upon closer inspection, Liu Ge'er recognized him as Luo Qiong Niu, who had been beaten up by the older boys just a few days ago!

Seeing an acquaintance, Liu Ge'er was no longer afraid and hurried over to examine him closely.

He noticed that although Luo Qiong Niu's face was as white as a corpse, he still had a faint pulse, indicating that he was still alive.

Gui Ge'er and Xingxing were still huddled together, trembling with fear, when they heard their older brother turn back and shout, “Don’t be scared, it’s Luo Qiong Niu! He seems to be injured and has fainted!”