Xie Jinghao looked at this family and Liu Sanjin's attitude, and knew that by noon today, both Shen ng and the children would go hungry. As she was feeding Xiao Gang, she mulled over what food she still had in her house.
After Lu Mingyang delivered the pigweed and recorded the work points with his siblings, they started to head ho. The usually chattering Lu Mingliang grew silent as they got closer to ho.
Lu Mingfang was even too scared to continue walking forward.
Seeing the look on his younger siblings' faces, Lu Mingyang's expression darkened. He gripped Lu Mingkai's hand tighter.
"Don't be scared. When we get ho, you go straight to your rooms. I'll find sothing for us to eat. If mother gets angry and hits soone, let her hit . I'm not afraid."
Anyway, as long as she didn't beat him to death, he would make sure this malicious woman paid the price once he grew up.
"Bro, let join you. Even if we get hit, we can share it, so it won't hurt as much."
"No need, just take care of our little brother and sister," Lu Mingyang said and pulled Lu Mingkai with him as they walked toward ho.
Lu Mingfang and Lu Mingliang exchanged glances and hurriedly followed behind, both of them resolved to stand with their brother and not let him face the beating alone.
The children entered the yard and their initial rush to the west side room halted. The aroma wafting from the kitchen made them all turn their heads repeatedly, even Lu Mingyang started to salivate.
"Bro, sll that, it's so good. What do you think that wicked... mother cooked?"
Lu Mingyang didn't respond, but he sneered inwardly. How could that bad woman have cooked sothing for them, especially sothing that slled so good? It was probably sothing that soone else had made and brought over. Whether there was any leftover by the ti she was done feasting was another matter.
"Back already?" Shen ng erged from the kitchen slightly stooped, her face devoid of any extra expression. She was well aware that things would not progress smoothly whether she was seeking to trade with the kids or trying to live peacefully and build a relationship with them. Good things take ti.
The children, including Lu Mingliang, were still vigorously inhaling the delicious sll when the youngest, Lu Mingkai, his mouth agape with greed, was startled into stillness by Shen ng's sudden speech.
"I haven't fully recovered yet, so I just boiled so noodles. I've served it for you; go eat. If it's not enough, there's more in the pot. I'll go lie down on the kang. After you finish eating, Mingyang, clean the bowls. Don't go to work this afternoon, go pick up so firewood. From now on, it will just be us and our mother living our lives. It seems your grandma doesn't care whether we live or die. Be diligent, collect more firewood to bring back, so we can cook."
While speaking, Shen ng rubbed her head and slowly shuffled toward her own room.
Once she left, Lu Mingliang dashed into the kitchen. On the low kitchen table, there were four bowls of hot noodles, each topped with a fried egg, golden and crispy, looking delicious.
He ran excitedly out of the kitchen.
"Bro, there's really noodles, and fried eggs, crispy and brown, slls so good, and there's even a plate of smashed cucumbers. Let's hurry and eat."
That sll was truly irresistible, with the browned eggs accompanied by a few stalks of bright green vegetables, their aroma tickling his stomach into a frenzy of desire that was hard to ignore.
Lu Mingkai and Lu Mingfang also looked at him. It was impossible for him to refuse, so Lu Mingyang nodded. Even if he wasn't keen on eating, his brother and sister couldn't go hungry. Hadn't that wicked woman just said to go see the firewood? It seed she intended to fill them up so they'd be ready to work.
With that thought, Lu Mingyang straightened his back.
"Let's eat, don't waste food. We won't eat for nothing; after we're full, let's go gather firewood. We only have enough in the yard for a couple of days!"
"Okay."
Shen ng seed to return to the room but was actually hunched over, peering through the window to keep an eye on the children. Today, she had only boiled a pot of water and cooked two handfuls of handmade noodles. The broth and vegetables were all from her space, using high-quality soup stock and organic vegetables—the taste was naturally unmatched.
No one can escape the temptation of delicious food, especially not a bunch of kids. Conquering them with good food was obviously the first step.
Shen ng didn't eat with the children. One could easily guess that these kids definitely didn't want to eat with her. If she was there, they probably wouldn't dare to eat at all.
It wasn't until they all headed to the kitchen that Shen ng felt at ease to climb onto the heated brick bed. There wasn't much food at ho, and the Lu Family couldn't be relied on. She might even be morally blackmailed into giving up her things, especially since it hadn't been long since Lu Zhenping had sent money ho.
Shen ng pondered her sches. She was a bit tired from making noodles for the children just now; it had been years since she last cooked with a traditional stove. Earlier, she had struggled to light the fire, failing several attempts, and even the bellows seed difficult to use—perhaps Zhou Jiaojiao or Lu Jiaxuan kicked it when they moved out.
After eating so bird's nest porridge and light dishes in her space, she lay down to rest. Everything had to wait until she had fully recuperated.
In the kitchen, the children voraciously consud four bowls of noodles. Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang, two growing boys, naturally remained unsated. Lu Mingliang still rembered Shen ng's ntion of the clay pot. When he lifted the lid, there indeed was so noodles left, which he scooped into his own bowl without hesitation and then shared so with Lu Mingyang.
"Brother, have so more; we don't know if there'll be anything to eat tonight. Eat more, so we can gather more firewood this afternoon. Let Ming Kai and Ming Fang rest at ho; the sun is scorching in the afternoon."
"Brother, let Ming Kai stay ho. I'll co too; I ate so much, and if I don't work, Mom would be angry." Perhaps it was the bowl of delicious noodles, or maybe because Shen ng, despite her injuries, had made them—suddenly, Lu Mingfang didn't think the wicked woman was all that bad. After all, she had been kind to them before. If it weren't for Second Aunt and their auntie always talking, their mom wouldn't have changed.
Lu Mingkai pursed his lips and said nothing. He didn't want to be ho alone at all. If his mom saw him alone and beca displeased, she might pinch him.
"You stay with Ming Kai, and I'll go with Ming Liang to gather firewood. What if sothing happens to our little brother alone at ho? The wicked woman just made us one al, don't think she's suddenly beco so nice. Who knows when she'll hit us again?" Lu Mingliang, while stuffing noodles into his mouth, lectured Lu Mingfang, clearly feeling that his sister had softened.
Lu Mingyang didn't say anything, but he was thinking the sa thing. He wasn't afraid of being treated badly or being scolded and hit; what he feared was a sudden show of kindness. Before, their aunt had talked about sending them away to save food for the family. That wicked woman must have had similar thoughts; she just didn't dare, fearing that Dad would stop sending money ho.
The concern weighed on his mind; he was always afraid, so he did everything with his siblings, never separating. Today, the wicked woman actually made such a fine al for them, with white flour noodles, eggs, and a shiny layer of oil. If this wasn't part of so evil plan, then it would an her head had been struck by lightning.
He agreed with Ming Liang's idea to leave Ming Fang and Ming Kai at ho; he also wanted to see what the wicked woman was up to.
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