Chapter Forty-Two: Everything is Trivial Except Life and Death

Chapter Forty-Two: Everything is Trivial Except Life and Death

"Did Aunt Qi treat you well after receiving the silver and mountain goods?"

Steam rose, mist swirled, making Lu Mingchao's expression hazy and indistinct.

The monthly salary and bonuses of a county town manager combined are not insignificant; accumulated, they could probably buy a small courtyard in the city.

Taking money without doing work, could she be some kind of extraordinary person?

Xie Huaiqian pursed his lips, his eyes dark as an abyss. "When Father was away, there was no meat in Aunt Qi's meals. In a large pot, there were only a few sparse grains of rice, the broth so thin it could reflect a face."

"At that time, we were all still young."

"Jingyi couldn't speak. When she was hungry, wet, or had an accident, she would just cry, crying until she was out of breath. Aunt Qi paid no attention, saying that children are like this, and that loud crying means they are energetic and healthy."

"By day's end, Jingyi's body was covered in bruises."

"Ru'an was timid and fearful of people, always shrinking back. Aunt Qi felt she had Ru'an under her thumb and constantly ordered her to work—feeding chickens, sweeping the yard, cutting grass, collecting eggs, serving tea and water to Qi Rui—as if there was an endless amount of work."

"I couldn't stand it and wanted to complain, to let Father know Aunt Qi's true colors."

"But to let Father go deep into the mountains to hunt and fulfill his obligations in the north with peace of mind, I held back, only taking extra care of Jingyi while helping Ru'an with her chores."

"That year, we lived through that."

"Later, Father gradually saved up money and became more financially comfortable. Aunt Qi then changed her usual sour and mean demeanor, trying every way to marry Qi Rui off to Father as a second wife. Father immediately refused."

"Aunt Qi didn't give up and said she wanted Qi Rui to be my child bride, saying we knew each other well and had deep feelings."

At this point, Xie Huaiqian sneered, "Hmph, deep feelings?"

"Was it the deep feelings of me being her horse to ride? Or the deep feelings of her pulling my ears and spitting in my face? Or the deep feelings of being constantly reminded to be grateful to her?"

Lu Mingchao was furious, filled with dissatisfaction and anger, as if a raging fire was ravaging in her chest. The spoon in her hand, controlled by anger, fell into the bowl, splashing droplets of water. She even directed her anger at Xie Yan, "Is your father blind?"

The sunlight, not yet set, shone through the thin window paper, casting Lu Mingchao's face in a pale light, her eyes tinged with anger, making her look intimidating.

Xie Huaiqian was momentarily stunned, his deep, dark eyes lighting up. "Mother, no."

"Father was very busy and tired."

"At that time, the top priority was to escape pursuit and settle down safely with a new identity."

"A slight misstep, if noticed, would cost us our lives."

"After finally stabilizing, Father was penniless, risking his life to hunt in the deep mountains and valleys. The more ferocious the beast, the more valuable its fur. I can hardly remember how many injuries Father sustained during that time."

"After accumulating furs and mountain goods, Father sold them bit by bit for money, preparing winter supplies, and managing to change our identities and send us to the northern lands undetected by the government."

"Living, surviving, was the top priority."

"A young man who had suddenly faced great changes chose to focus on the top priority first."

"Father is not stupid nor blind, but the matter of survival had exhausted all his energy, leaving no room for anything else."

"Was the scar under his eye from hunting?" Lu Mingchao asked in a deep voice.

Xie Huaiqian shook his head. "He cut it himself on the escape route."

A faint bitterness spread through Lu Mingchao's heart.

How much suffering and hardship had Xie Yan endured to escape the death sentence of that year?

"The north..." Lu Mingchao pursed her lips. "Who was exiled to the north?"

"How could there be survivors from such a catastrophic massacre?"

Xie Huaiqian's eyes were red, unconsciously misted with tears. "It was my father's grandfather, also my biological father's teacher, and in a way, my great-grandfather."

"He was the only one publicly spared during the massacre that year."

"My father had to take care of me, Ru'an, and Jingyi, and also had to look after my great-grandfather who was exiled to the north. He had no extra energy to care about anything beyond life and death."

"Beyond life and death, nothing else matters."

"Fortunately, we made it through, and life is getting better now. My father even married and truly has a family now."

Xie Huaiqian choked up, tears streaming down his face.

Lu Mingchao stood up, pulling Xie Huaiqian to her shoulder, gently patting his back. "Yes, we've all made it through."

"Huaiqian, things will slowly get better."

Drop by drop, tears soaked Lu Mingchao's shoulder.

Her heart felt like a cloud in the sky, torn apart and then reassembled by the wind.

"Mother?"

A small head peeked through the crack in the door.

Xie Huaiqian abruptly stopped crying, hastily wiping the tears from his face, pretending nothing had happened as he turned to gaze out the window.

Xie Jingyi and Xie Ru'an walked hand in hand, stepping over the threshold.

"Big brother, were you crying?" Xie Jingyi looked up at Xie Huaiqian's red and swollen eyes, asking cautiously.

Though Xie Ru'an didn't speak, his eyes were full of concern.

Xie Huaiqian cleared his throat twice, trying to make his voice sound normal. "The wind was too strong, it blew into my eyes."

The suspicion on Xie Jingyi's chubby face was almost tangible.

Lu Mingchao chimed in, "Yes, it was the wind."

"The winds of the past have passed, and everything is new from now on."

Hearing Lu Mingchao also say it was the wind, Xie Jingyi and Xie Ru'an instantly believed it.

How could someone as good as their mother lie?

"Jingyi, Ru'an, did you sleep well?" Lu Mingchao gestured to Xie Jingyi and Xie Ru'an.

Xie Jingyi toddled over on her short legs, her chubby face beaming with a sweet smile. "Mother, I slept well."

"Me too," Xie Ru'an said softly.

"That's good," Lu Mingchao said, taking out some milk-scented candies and placing one in each of their hands.

"Wow!" Xie Jingyi looked up, her long eyelashes brushing against Lu Mingchao's palm.

"Huaiqian, have some candy. Having candy in your mouth will sweeten your heart too," Lu Mingchao smiled gently.

"Mother, your face is so pale, are you sick?" Xie Jingyi chewed awkwardly on the milk candy, drooling as she spoke.

Lu Mingchao smiled helplessly, wiping Xie Jingyi's mouth with a handkerchief, "It's because I'm angry."

Xie Jingyi and Xie Ru'an both widened their eyes at the same time.

"Mother, is it Er Bao and San Bao?" Xie Jingyi mumbled around the milk candy in her mouth.

Xie Ru'an also instinctively grabbed onto the hem of Lu Mingchao's dress.

Lu Mingchao shook her head slowly, "It's a snake."

It's like the story of the farmer and the snake.

The Qi family ancestors were that ungrateful, treacherous snake.

Xie Jingyi gasped and clung to Lu Mingchao's leg, "Mother, don't be afraid."

"Father is really strong; he can catch snakes."

"That's right, where is father?"

Only then did Xie Jingyi finally notice that someone was missing in the room.

"Birds of a feather flock together, the couple is a pair of troublemakers."