Her hand went to the silver needles in her breast pocket, too, feeling them one by one as if she was going to prick her.
But in the end they stayed her hand.
"Sister Fu'er."
Her father's voice came from behind her and his men arrived. Their faces were covered in sweat, and their clothes were torn in many places. They carried two wicker baskets filled with sweet potato leaves and sweet potato vines. "Father rushed back when he heard from afar that you were back."
Li Fu'er looked at her father's sorry state. She often saw her father like this, but her heart still ached. "Where did father go?"
She had a rough guess from the sweet potato vines her father had picked.
There were sweet potatoes in ancient times, but even with them, she was still so hungry that she almost didn't grow up properly.
From her father's words, she knew that her father had rushed back because he had heard that she was back.
"I…" At her words, Second Li dropped the shoulder pole and casually wiped the sweat from his brow as he caught his breath to speak.
Before he could continue, Li Yan'er had already stepped forward and pulled Li Fu'er back. Her heart ached as she looked at her second uncle and said, "Second Uncle, you're home? You've taken on so much responsibility. It should be enough. Big Sister, you don't know when you're not at home. The family is getting sweet potato vines and the wild grass in the field. Recently, the grass in the field has grown crazily. Second Uncle and Father went to the field to work." She wasn't even at home to help.
Finally she looked at Li Fu'er.
Li Fu'er ignored Li Yan'er. She knew what Li Yan'er was going to say. Why didn't she go? She looked at her father. "Is Father tired?"
"I'm not tired, Sister Fu." Second Li hurriedly panted and laughed loudly.
Li Fu'er looked at her father's face and smiled. She wanted to say that she was tired and wanted to help her father wipe his sweat, but she took a step forward and her father immediately retreated. He stammered and said that there was no need.
She did not move again. From the corner of her eye, she saw Li Yan'er looking at them with an ugly expression.
She didn't look.
"Sister Fu, don't do it anymore," Second Li said again, recalling the food he saw in the window when he woke up in the morning. It was getting more and more. Was she really full?
Last night, when Sister Fu did not deliver it, he thought that she had no food and was very worried the entire night.
"Father, don't be too tired!" Li Fu'er continued.
"Father wouldn't be," breathed Second Li again, wiping his forehead.
His sleeves were already rotten and dirty.
Li Fu'er saw that her father's face had darkened even more and was sweating profusely. With money, she could still let her father participate in the Imperial Examination.
"Big Sister." Li Yan'er couldn't help but smile as she spoke again. She swallowed her irritation. "Grandma and us." She wanted to speak.
Li Fu'er turned to her and watched.
Li Yan'er didn't know why she was suddenly staring at her. She felt extremely uncomfortable under her gaze. She thought about what she had been doing before Li Fu'er came back not long ago. Li Fu'er had come back after her. She wouldn't have heard anything, would she? "Big Sister?" She had just pulled her hand away.
Second Li also said, "Sister Fu."
What he was thinking about was that his family had said that they would treat Sister Fu better. No matter what had happened in the past.
"Father is fine, that's all," Li Fu'er said softly to her father. She thought that since she knew what these people in the family were thinking, she did not have to worry about what they wanted to do to her!
She wanted to see when Li Yan'er and her grandmother and the rest of them revealed their thoughts.
When they finally revealed their purpose and what they wanted to do.
She would wait!
When Father sees it, let's see if Father will still be the same as before!
"Father, go home and rest. I'll help." Li Fu'er watched as her father reached out and tiptoed.
Seeing this, Second Li waved his hand and looked at Sister Fu's small figure. Although she had grown up, she was still small. "No, no. Sister Fu, you're still young. Father can do it. I don't need your help. Father is a man. You and Sister Yan can be together." His face darkened as he opened his mouth to speak.
"I'm young and energetic," Li Fu'er said.
"Father really can manage."
Second Li picked up the pole and carried it with all his might. He sank down and refused to let her come over. He carried the sweet potato vines to another corner of the house to dry.
Li Fu'er followed worriedly.
Li Yan'er could only follow angrily. She felt that Li Fu'er probably did not hear anything.
Second Li took a few steps and felt that the person behind him had followed him. He panted and turned his head back. "Sister Fu, don't follow me anymore. It's good that you're back. Don't make a fuss and go in with Sister Yan. I might have to go again. We'll talk when I come back."
Then, he called Li Yan'er.
Li Yan'er replied, "Okay."
Li Fu'er agreed, but did not leave.
"Big Sister, aren't you leaving? Didn't you say you were leaving? Why are you still here?"
Li Yan'er saw that Li Fu'er did not leave after agreeing. She said, "Big Sister." She wanted to pull Sister Fu into the central room or the kitchen.
Li Fu'er looked sideways at her.
Li Yan'er laughed. "Big sister."
"Are you very happy?" Li Fu'er asked.
"Why should I be happy? I don't know what Big Sister means!" Li Yan'er was aggrieved and did not understand.
"You keep smiling," said Li Fu'er.
"I want to make up with Big Sister," Li Yan'er said.
"You can forget the past but I can't. Who can forget a life-and-death grudge? You've already chosen to let me die. Stop fooling yourself," Li Fu'er said coldly, shaking her off and walking away.
Li Yan'er was displeased. "Big Sister, do you have to remember it like this? You're too petty!"
Li Fu'er ignored her and walked towards her father.
Li Yan'er couldn't stop her.
Li Fu'er walked up to her father and wanted to help him remove the sweet potato vines.
Second Li wouldn't let her. He had no choice but to watch her.
Seeing this, Li Yan'er was afraid that someone would criticize her, so she could only go forward to help. However, her hands were very tender and fair. She had only picked up a few sweet potato vines before she didn't want to do it anymore. If her hands hurt, they would get calluses.
Li Fu'er glanced at her mockingly.
Second Li was also afraid of hurting Sister Yan. "Sister Yan, you don't have to." He wanted to stop her.
Li Yan'er quickly looked at Big Sister and pretended. "I want to be with Big Sister. It's not like before."
"Sister Yan." Second Li was touched.
Li Fu'er knew that her father trusted his family.
Soon, they were finished.
Madam Li walked out and saw them. "Second Brother is back?" she asked.
She heard the voices some time ago!
Li Yan'er did not look too good. When she saw Li Fu'er, her face turned green. She moved her hand and was about to attack. In the end, her face darkened and she did not do anything.
Behind her were the two wives of the Yu and Wang families.
Then, she said, "Sister Fu, you're back? Something happened at home recently, so don't run away."
"Sister Fu." Madam Yu and Madam Wang also looked at Sister Fu.
Li Fu'er called them one by one without an answer.
Madam Li wanted to say something.
Madam Wang glanced at the sweet potato vines at the side. "Mother, Sister Fu is really diligent. Sister Yan too!"
Madam Yu's heart ached for her daughter.
"If Big Sister helps Second Uncle, I'll help too, Grandma, Mother, and Auntie." Li Yan'er smiled.
Li Fu'er turned to her father. "Father."
"Sister Fu, father's leaving. Are you staying here?" Second Li asked.
Li Fu'er agreed and watched her father go.
When Second Li was no longer in sight, Madam Li immediately spoke to Li Fu'er.
Li Fu'er left and went back to the house alone.
"You, Sister Fu, are you asking for it again?" Madam Li took a few steps forward to chase after her.
Li Yan'er told her grandmother to follow her.
Madam Yu and the others said, "Sister Fu."
Li Yan'er and Li Fu'er went to the house together.
Li Yan'er leaned close. "Big Sister."
Li Fu'er felt that if she shouted again, she would seal her mouth.
She had silver needles.
After a while, her father and the others came back and told her to have dinner. Li Fu'er went over and they all looked at her when she arrived. She greeted her family members.
Her grandfather, who sat at the head of the table and disliked her as much as her grandmother, stared at her unhappily. "It's good you're here."
Then, he smoked the hookah and smoke swirled in the air..
Her grandmother, Madam Li Wang, said that her family had to provide for her eldest cousin's countryside examination. The food and necessities at home had to be reduced. They couldn't eat meat for the time being. The same went for rice.
She looked at her as she spoke, as if she had said it specifically for her to hear.
Li Fu'er did not want to know. She thought again of the silver and jewelry her mother had left behind.
The men still ate well for dinner. Her father ate slightly less than her uncle, but this time, she sat with Li Yan'er and ate almost as much as Li Yan'er.
There were coarse grain steamed buns and dishes.
Her father looked over, his eyes reassuring.
She could feed herself and give food to her father. She knew he hadn't let anyone know!
After dinner, Grandma Li said that Sister Yan would stay with her tonight.
Li Fu'er looked up and met her father's gaze. She said nothing.
"Now you're talking!" Grandma snorted.
She lay down on the bed.
Li Fu'er and Li Yan'er were very far away. Li Yan'er kept saying, "I haven't gone back to the room to sleep in a long time." Grandma Wang would tell others what she had said to her, right?
Li Fu'er said, "You're not afraid of me anymore?"
Li Yan'er turned her head. "Your injury."
"What made you not afraid of me?" Li Fu'er whispered, staring at her.
Li Yan'er—
Morning came.
Li Fu'er did not go out. When the family was having breakfast, someone came over.