Looking at the steamed eggs, scrambled eggs, and white pancake her aunt had brought in, Xiao Xing found herself in disbelief. She thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, so she rubbed her eyes hard. When she looked again, it was still a bowl of steamed eggs as tender as tofu, a bowl of oily scrambled eggs, and a white pancake with spots of char…
Xiao Xing rarely saw this kind of good food. Even her youngest aunt and eldest cousin brother, whom her grandmother doted on the most, were rarely able to eat such good stuff. At most, they would have fried eggs during the new year and festivals. Usually, the old woman would keep a close eye on the chicken's butt. When she opened the chicken coop door early in the morning, she would touch the chicken's butt to check how many chickens could lay eggs that day. If there was even one chicken less, the old woman would even send a brigade just to find it.
Ling Chengyan passed Xiao Xing a bowl of porridge. Seeing that the little girl was in a daze and did not move her chopsticks, Ling Chengyan called out, "Hurry up and eat."
"Mother." The little girl swallowed her saliva and looked up at her mother, a little worried. "Why are there so many good things?"
Ling Chengyan glanced at the plate of scrambled eggs and sighed. "Don't worry, I asked for these."
"Mother, can I really eat it?"
"Of course. Eat up."
Ling Chengyan picked up a piece of egg and placed it in her small apricot bowl. She then handed her a piece of white pancake and did not say anything else. She just ate silently.
She didn't eat slowly, but she ate gracefully. After eating two pancakes, she felt almost full and stopped.
This body had suffered way too much damage, and her stomach was weak. It was better not to eat too much at once.
As she put down her bowl and chopsticks, Xiao Tian woke up and started crying like a kitten.
Ling Chengyan tried the steamed egg. It wasn't hot anymore, so she took a little and fed it to Xiao Tian. The baby had been starving for a whole day and was already famished. When the food entered his mouth, he swallowed it with great effort.
Ling Chengyan fed the baby two mouthfuls of egg and a spoonful of soup mixed with white and brown sugar, which she had taken from the old woman's house.
Wang Lianxiang was afraid of getting beaten up again and was eager to please Ling Chengyan. She even suggested that Ling Chengyan could get some milk powder and milk bottles for children from the city.
Ling Chengyan looked at the weak and small Xiao Tian and thought to herself, "The baby is too small. It's a little difficult for him to eat eggs. I need to go to the city as soon as possible to buy some milk powder and a milk bottle."
However, after her observation, she realized that this Wang family was really poor. The three women in the East Court were thin, and their clothes were torn and tattered. The old couple, including her favorite Wang Lianxiang, were not fat at all. They all looked pale. From the looks of it, they were barely able to make ends meet and could not eat their fill every meal, let alone maintain their health.
After Ling Chengyan finished her breakfast, she stepped out and stuffed the bowl and chopsticks into Wang Lianxiang's hands. She then ordered, "Fetch some hot water, I want to wash my hair."
Wang Lianxiang lowered her head and did not object. She obediently carried the bowl and chopsticks into the kitchen.
This scene stunned the eldest and the third daughter-in-law of the family. The third daughter-in-law, Li Xiaoxia, only watched silently. On the other hand, the eldest daughter-in-law, Shao Darong, couldn't bear it anymore and rushed into the main room to complain to Zhou Xiuying. However, she was scolded badly and even suffered a few blows from the broom. Seeing that she wasn't getting anywhere, she hugged her head and escaped.
Ling Chengyan searched around and found a big bag and an old coat. Meanwhile, Wang Lianxiang brought over a bottle of hot water.
"Second sister-in-law, here is your hot water."
Ling Chengyan put down the things in her hands and walked over to take the warm bottle. She saw Wang Lianxiang hand over a soft pink thing. "It's for washing your hair."
Ling Chengyan took it and looked at it. It turned out to be a kind of soft cream in a cloth bag that she had never seen before. She sniffed it, and it had a fragrant smell.
"Alright," Ling Chengyan said, taking it and then looked at Wang Lianxiang, who was still dawdling around. She suddenly asked, "Is milk powder expensive?"
"Of course! That's good stuff. Not only do you need money, but you also need food stamps." Wang Lianxiang answered all her questions.
Ling Chengyan combed her shoulder-length hair and looked at Wang Lianxiang. Wang Lianxiang could not stand her cold gaze and stammered, "Second Sister-in-law, uhm... If you don't agree to give Xiao Tian away, I won't be able to explain it to Big Sister. Can you go and tell Big Sister personally..."
Ling Chengyan's brows rose slightly and fell again. She replied indifferently, "Alright," she said.
With that, she chased Wang Lianxiang out of the door and started washing her hair.
The day before, 'her' head had been injured and bled a little. It was very uncomfortable to have blood stuck to her hair. As such, she had no choice but to take a bath.
Xiao Xing came over and asked her, "Mother, let me help you wash. You still have an injury on your head."
Ling Chengyan looked up and met the little girl's soft and warm eyes. She couldn't help but feel warm in her heart and nodded.
Xiao Xing was very happy. She moved a stool to the edge of the bed and placed the basin on the stool. She climbed onto the bed and knelt on it to help Ling Chengyan wash her hair, carefully avoiding the wound.
Ling Chengyan touched her scalp and realized that the wound was only half an inch. For someone like her who had been through battlefields, such a small wound was nothing to be to worry about.
However, it was one thing to not care about it, but it was another to be treated so carefully by others. Moreover, this was not a servant who served her, but a 'daughter' who was connected to her by blood. This feeling was very strange and subtle. She could not help but let down her guard and soften her heart.
Xiao Xing's hair washing technique couldn't be considered skilled at all. In fact, it was a little clumsy. There were a few times when she hurt her, but Xiao Xing herself was aware of it and quickly rubbed it with her little hand and blew on it. Ling Chengyan was actually really patient and let her do as she pleased; even the corners of her mouth unconsciously curled up.
It was a shame Wang Lianxiang was chased out earlier. If she was present, this scene would definitely make her jaw drop. The violent woman who was as fierce as a tiger just this morning had actually retracted her claws and turned into a gentle cat.
Even if she saw it, she wouldn't dare to believe it.
After Ling Chengyan washed her hair, she touched the scabs on her scalp and felt that they were still there. One could tell how careful the little girl was.
Xiao Xing used a towel to wipe away the water on her hair, poured away the dirty water, and replaced it with clean, warm water. Ling Chengyan called Xiao Xing, "Come, I'll help you wash up."
Xiao Xing's hair was rough and yellow—one of the reasons was the lack of nutrients, and the other was the lack of care.
Xiao Xing revealed a big smile and called out, "Mother." She obediently knelt on the edge of the bed and let Ling Chengyan help her wash her hair.
She didn't feel anything when she used it herself, but when she was drying Xiao Xing's hair, she noticed that the towel was too old. There were so many holes in it that she could barely make out its shape.
She made another mental note. 'I also have to buy a towel.'
When her hair was almost dry, Ling Chengyan found a floral cloth, then used it to tie up her hair and cover the wound on the side of her head.
Then, she used the cloth bag she found earlier to wrap Xiao Tian in her arms and put the old cotton-padded coat on Xiao Xing.
The cotton-padded coat was a perfect fit for Lin Chengyan, so it looked loose on Xiao Xing. Ling Chengyan helped to roll up her sleeves, barely showing her small hand. She reached out, held the cute little hand, and walked out.
Although Xiao Xing was young, she was smart. In fact, she could clearly feel that her mother was a little different. Her mother wasn't as gentle as before, but instead, she had a dignified aura that made people wary of offending her. However, she seemed to like this version of her mother more.
With her hand being held by such a mother, there was nothing she needed to be afraid of anymore.