"Always got to make a fuss. Everyone else can eat; why can't you?" An Shuchao glared at An Ping and picked up a cold pancake, starting to eat it with some pickled vegetables.
The pancake was so coarse it scratched his throat, and the pickled vegetables were so salty they could choke a person, but he still forced it down.
As he swallowed, he noticeably stretched his neck and gulped forcefully.
After one bite, An Ping couldn't continue eating and, frowning, complained, "This is too hard to eat. Couldn't you at least warm up the pancake?"
Bai Yanjiao held her bowl and sipped the porridge, murmuring, "An Ping, stop complaining. You see the state of our family. I had arranged a marriage for your sister. The man's family was offering a job and a generous dowry, but she wouldn't agree."
"What? What? What?" An Ping was so startled that he slapped the table and shouted, "Are you out of your mind? You pass up such good terms? You enjoy seeing the whole family starve, is that it?"
An Hao didn't respond until she had finished chewing the pancake in her mouth, "Would you be happy if I married 'Stupid Wang'?"
"As long as the family is well-off," An Ping said. At the moment, in his eyes, his elder sister An Hao wasn't as close to him as Bai Yanjiao.
All day long, An Hao knew only how to argue with him, and even sometimes wanted to hit him. It would be better for her to marry off early and contribute to the family.
"Hmm. That's right. We should find you a rich but silly girl to marry someday," An Hao retorted, neither warm nor cold.
"I don't want that," An Ping immediately became anxious when he heard this. "An Hao, don't get any ideas about me."
An Hao shook her head, thinking how naive An Ping was. Did he really think so little of her, his own sister?
She was the closest person to him in this world, aside from their father—how could she harm him?
An Ping already had no appetite, and after An Hao's words, he felt even less disposed to eat, so he pushed his bowl away in frustration and went back to his room without eating.
Bai Xue tried to go after him but was stopped by An Shuchao, "Leave him be; it's just a mild hunger."
After dinner, An Hao cleaned up the pots and pans and went back to her room.
She thought about going to town the next day, wondering if she could buy something to sell.
Their village was close to the mountains, with inconvenient transportation, and was not large. The only supply and marketing cooperative had a limited selection—just basic necessities.
So, many things had to be bought in town.
She planned to ask her father for some money and go to town early to buy goods. It was the end of the year, and it would be inconvenient for the villagers to go out, so they could buy from her.
The more An Hao thought about it, the more she felt she could definitely make some money, so she got up, dressed, and went to ask her father for money.
As she passed the kitchen, she heard noise inside. Could it be mice in the house?
An Hao gently pushed the door open, turned on the light, and saw her own brother, An Ping, rummaging the kitchen for something to eat.
The light suddenly came on, and An Ping jumped with fright. He didn't want to be caught sneaking around for food, but when he turned and saw An Hao, his expression instantly changed from panic to anger, "Are you trying to scare me to death? Why aren't you asleep in the middle of the night, coming here to frighten people?"
An Hao restrained her temper and didn't get angry but asked with a smile, "Are you hungry? I'll make you something to eat."
After speaking, she rolled up her sleeves to draw cold water from the tank and wash her hands.
An Ping was stunned. What was going on with her? She'd completely changed; she didn't seem like herself at all.
While An Ping was still dazed, An Hao had already started to look for things to cook for him.