"What are you standing there for?"
With her hands on her hips and still panting, Qiu Tong commanded. "Qiu Xingyuan, wash the meat. Qiu Xingqiao, prepare the vegetables. Little Yu, rinse the rice."
Little Yu sweetly assented and was about to go over when she was stopped by Qiu Xingyuan.
"We won't eat your food!"
Qiu Xingyuan picked up Little Yu and walked away. Qiu Xingqiao hurriedly followed him and whispered, "Brother, did she bring those things for us to eat?"
He suddenly looked horrified. "Could she be trying to poison us?"
"Will she still be able to sell us if she poisoned us to death?"
Qiu Xingyuan pursed his lips tightly. He also felt that Qiu Tong was harboring evil intentions. There must be some trap.
Qiu Tong was both amused and exasperated when she overheard their whispers. She decided to do everything herself and quickly prepared the ingredients in front of her.
Food was scarce in the post-apocalyptic era, not to mention fresh vegetables and fruits. Qiu Tong was so moved by the sight of those ingredients that she nearly cried when she was buying them.
The aroma of food soon drifted out, making the three brats sitting in the corner feel utterly famished.
"Brother, I'm so hungry…"
Qiu Xingqiao took a deep breath. Even if he couldn't eat it, he could still smell it, right?
After cooking for more than an hour, Qiu Tong finally sat down in satisfaction.
There were about a dozen dishes on the table, including both meat and vegetables. She also steamed a large pot of fragrant white rice.
With a satisfied smile, Qiu Tong glanced at the three little heads. "Come and eat."
Qiu Xingyuan looked at her coldly. Without his permission, his two younger siblings dared not move.
Qiu Tong narrowed her eyes and ignored them. She strode over and sat down, before helping herself generously to the food.
Qiu Xingqiao widened his eyes and swallowed even harder as he watched Qiu Tong eat.
"How can she eat so much? Is she a pig?"
Qiu Xingyuan's eyes flickered. Seeing that Qiu Tong was fine after eating the food, he brought Qiu Xingqiao and Qiu Xingyu over slowly.
Such a tiny kid, but full of caution and schemes.
Qiu Tong was secretly amused, but her face remained expressionless.
"Help yourself to the rice. Take as much as you can eat. You must cherish the food and not leave a single grain of rice!"
She piled the dishes in front of the triplets and said calmly, "Eat more. Don't be picky."
Looking at the table full of sumptuous dishes, the three children almost thought they were dreaming.
They had never eaten so much good food since they were born. Even during the New Year, they only had some salty side dishes and plain, watery porridge.
In the past, Qiu Tong would not let them eat at the table. She would just toss them a bowl and let them squat at the corner of the table like animals.
"Why did you come back?"
The guardedness in Qiu Xingyuan's eyes intensified, as if Qiu Tong was really plotting something. "What exactly are you planning?"
Qiu Tong tapped her index finger on the table, her bright eyes slightly curved. "Because I am regretting it."
Qiu Xingyuan's body stiffened, and his eyes darkened gradually.
Indeed, she was regretting it!
She still planned to sell the three of them…
Qiu Xingyuan quietly gritted his teeth and swore that even if he had to go all out, he would never let Qiu Tong sell off his brother and sister.
Just as he was about to lash out, he heard Qiu Tong say unhurriedly, "I was pregnant for 10 months and walked through the gates of hell three times before giving birth to you three brats."
"It wasn't easy for me to raise you three and if I were to abandon all of you now, it would be my loss."
She clapped her hands together and grinned. "So I've decided I'll keep you all alive until you can survive on your own."
Qiu Tong raised one finger, laying out her condition so as to lower their suspicions against her.
"The condition is that you have to repay me by being filial to me when I'm old. If you have no problem with that, come over and eat."
It turned out that she was afraid that no one would support her when she was old!
Having finally understood her motive, Qiu Xingyuan's tense nerves relaxed slightly.
It was just a mutually beneficial exchange. Besides, he did not have the ability to support his younger siblings yet. Since Qiu Tong was willing to raise them, that would be for the best.
Qiu Xingyuan glanced at Qiu Tong and said coldly, "Deal."
It was as if to him, it was really just a mutually beneficial exchange.
With Qiu Xingyuan's permission, Qiu Xingqiao and Qiu Xingyu immediately rushed to the table and helped themselves to the food, hurriedly stuffing it into their mouths.
In the next second, those two kids widened their eyes in shock when the amazing taste tantalized their taste buds.
They had never eaten such delicious food before. It was a hundred times more delicious than meat buns!