Li Xiu'e fed the baby girl half a bowl of rice paste. The girl smacked her lips contentedly, yawned, and her dewy lids began to grow heavy as she tried to resist falling asleep.
"This child is so well-behaved. She doesn't cry or fuss, and she goes to sleep after eating. She's really endearing."
Li Xiu'e gently hugged the baby girl, feeling the long-lost warmth and softness unique to an infant. Her eyes were tender enough to melt into water.
"You should keep her if you like her."
Upon hearing her words, Su Hu smiled indulgently at his wife. "She would just be another mouth to feed. I can work harder, chop more firewood and sell it in the town. Winter is coming, and firewood sells fast. We can make some extra money."
"The town is about seven or eight miles away."
Li Xiu'e said hesitantly, "The cold weather could affect the old wound on your leg. Walking too much would make your knee sore. Selling the firewood to the rich families on the other side of the river is enough."
Shaking his head, Su Hu smacked his lips and disagreed. "Those families across the river all have fixed suppliers for their firewood. The price is pushed so low that we can't make any money."
"But your leg..." Li Xiu'e's eyes showed concern, and her arms holding the quilt trembled slightly.
"Huh..."
The baby girl, lying in Li Xiu'e's arms and dozing, opened her dewy eyes when she heard the couple's conversation. She looked around at the new home, which was destitute. The emaciated siblings had worried looks on their faces, but she exhaled a breath of turbid air.
"Master, there is a hundred-year-old ginseng in the forest a hundred meters outside the yard wall."
The little fledgling communicated with her heart, its keen sense of smell spread all around, clearly smelling the ginseng's scent. It was eager to present the treasure to its master.
"Giggle."
Hearing the fledgling's psychic transmission, the baby girl's beautiful eyebrows relaxed, and she smiled at the corners of her eyes.
"Look, the child is smiling again. She's really a likeable kid."
As Li Xiu'e's attention shifted instantly, her soft gaze focused on the baby girl's delicate, pink face. No matter how much she looked, it was never enough.
"How wonderful would it be if she were our own daughter."
Su Hu also shifted his gaze and unconsciously wanted to pinch the baby girl's collagen-rich, smooth, and delicate cheeks with his rough hands.
"Don't touch her with your rough hands. They'll scratch her skin."
Li Xiu'e slapped his hand away with a swift gesture and pretended to scold him angrily.
"Hehe, I forgot about that."
Su Hu withdrew his hand, rubbed the back of his head, and chuckled unassumingly.
"Yiyayaya, Yiyayaya."
Feeling moved by Li Xiu'e's protective behavior, the baby girl released the fledgling, pointed her soft, plump hand toward the forest outside the yard, and tried her best to urge her to go outside.
"Huh? What does the child want to do?"
Li Xiu'e and her husband were both puzzled, unable to understand her baby language.
"Chirp chirp, chirp chirp."
The fledgling pitched in, flapping its tender wings above the baby girl's head and circling as if ready to fly outside.
"Little sister wants to go out and play."
Four-year-old Doudou empathized with the baby girl, understanding her wishes.
He wanted to go out and play too.
"Yiyayaya, Yiyayaya."
The baby girl seemed to respond to him, nodding her head repeatedly. She insisted on struggling outward, clutching Li Xiu'e's clothes tightly, urging her to follow her heart.
"Let's go and see what's outside with her."
Su Hu sensed something unusual and got up from the bed to put on his shoes. He then took the lead and pushed open the door.
"We're going, too."
Both Sister Qiao and Doudou had the curiosity of children. Not wanting to be left behind, they jumped out of bed and scrambled towards the fence gate with their shoes on.