Wild eggs?
Yun Tinglu was a bit stumped. Wild bird eggs were hard to come by. Little Fubao, still too young, probably had no idea how difficult they were to find.
Xu Yibai chuckled, "Fubao, you sure do have grand ideas for someone so young. It's tough enough to catch a wild pheasant, let alone get your hands on its eggs."
Xu Jiayan stepped forward, taking Fubao's little hand. "Fubao, don't worry. In a few days, I'll go catch some pheasants and gather bird eggs for you."
Xu Younian glanced at Fubao, his expression clearly saying, *What an imaginative little girl—why not reach for the stars while you're at it?*
Yun Tinglu still felt a bit uneasy about finding wild pheasant eggs, thinking Fubao didn't quite understand how rare they were. But just then, something unexpected happened.
Fubao raised her tiny hand and pointed skyward. "Mother, brothers, look! Is that a wild pheasant?"
All eyes turned upward, and their jaws nearly dropped.
What did they see?
A pheasant flew into the courtyard, landed, laid an egg, and then flew away.
Then, one after another, seven more pheasants flew down, each laying a warm egg before taking off again.
"Are these wild eggs? Mother, we've got wild eggs to eat now!" Fubao jumped off the stone bench, ran over, and picked up the still-warm eggs.
It seemed her powers hadn't entirely faded—these creatures still obeyed her commands.
Well, this was quite convenient!
Yun Tinglu stood frozen, unsure how to explain what had just happened.
Her three sons were equally shocked. Wild pheasants, casually flying in to lay eggs in their yard, one after another—what kind of magic was this?
"Mother, brothers, can we have egg soup now? Or maybe fried eggs?" Fubao asked, running back with the eggs in hand.
Yun Tinglu finally snapped out of her daze, nodding hurriedly. "Of course, Fubao. Whatever you want to eat, we'll make it."
Fubao: ...
This mother is really something special. I'll have to look out for her from now on.
A short while later, Xu Dahai returned, laden with bags, having bought all sorts of things. Yun Tinglu filled him in on Grandma Xu's earlier visit, and Xu Dahai was visibly upset.
He hadn't expected his own mother to treat him this way, and it left him feeling deeply hurt.
Yun Tinglu noticed his mood and quickly reassured him. "Don't just stand there, take the three boys and get the house and courtyard in order."
Xu Dahai, with his sons in tow, set to work. Fubao wanted to help too, but they wouldn't let her.
"Sister, you just play in the courtyard. This is a job for men," Xu Jiayan said, not wanting his little sister to lift a finger.
"Big Brother is right. A true man doesn't let a girl do any hard work," Xu Yibai chimed in, awkwardly moving some heavy items.
Xu Younian didn't say a word, but handed Fubao a peach, silently encouraging her to relax and enjoy.
Fubao: ...
Brothers, I'm actually pretty capable.
And besides, aren't you all still kids yourselves? How are you suddenly "real men"?
So she wandered around the courtyard, eating the peach and watching them work.
"Hey! What's the mute girl eating?" A boy's voice suddenly called out.
Fubao turned to see a chubby boy sitting on the eastern wall, smirking mischievously.
Fubao didn't bother replying and kept eating.
"Hey! You deaf or blind, mute girl? I'm Ma Dabao! Get over here and offer me that peach! If you don't, I'll make you cry!" Ma Dabao clenched his fist, glaring at her.
He was twelve years old, never went to school, and spent his days bullying the village children for food. No one dared stand up to him because his mother would scratch anyone's face if they did.
After all, Ma Dabao was Grandma Xu's nephew. Little mute Fubao was Grandma Xu's least favorite grandchild, so if Fubao dared provoke him, Ma Dabao would just go tattle to Grandma Xu, and Fubao would surely get a beating.
"You're Ma Dabao?" Fubao suddenly remembered—it was this boy who used to bully the original Fubao relentlessly.
Ma Dabao assumed she was scared and said, "You know who I am, so bring me that gift already!"
Fubao tilted her head and asked, "What do you want? I've already eaten the peach."
Thinking Fubao was about to fetch him another, Ma Dabao grew even more excited. "Good girl. Now go get me the biggest one you have! Hurry up!"
Fubao didn't move, finishing the peach in a few bites, leaving only the pit in her hand.
"Ma Dabao, hasn't anyone ever told you? You've got a big face and a foul mouth, and you deserve a good beating." Fubao's face showed no hint of a smile.
She stepped toward Ma Dabao, her short legs moving with purpose.
Ma Dabao had never seen Fubao like this before. The little mute girl used to keep her head down, shrinking away as if she wanted to disappear into the ground.
What was happening now?
The fierce, cold look in her eyes—it was terrifying!
"In the past, you bullied me. Now, it's my turn!" Fubao smirked, flicking the peach pit squarely onto Ma Dabao's forehead.
"Ow! Ahhh!!! Mother! Fubao hit me! Waaaah!" Ma Dabao fell backward into his own courtyard, wailing pathetically.
Fubao casually returned to the stone bench, swinging her little legs in the air as if nothing had happened.
Those who had bullied the original Fubao better prepare themselves.
Payback time is here.
A commotion stirred in the neighboring yard, with a woman's voice wailing in distress and angry shouts ringing out.
Soon enough, the entire Ma family came rushing over.
Yun Tinglu heard the noise and, brandishing a spatula, charged out of the kitchen.
Before anyone could speak, she exploded, "What's this about? Bullying my daughter while I'm not around? Ma Dabao, don't think I don't know! You stole my daughter's peach, ate it all, and now you have the nerve to claim she hit you? Pay up! That peach came from the county, and it cost five coins! Hand over the money!"
Fubao's eyes widened in disbelief.
This is definitely my mother—what a master of turning the tables!
Ma Dabao's mother was taken aback too. She didn't really know what had happened—she'd just come over because Ma Dabao had said Fubao hit him, intending to scold someone.
Now, being confronted by Yun Tinglu, she hesitated and turned to her son. "Dabao, what happened? Tell me the truth!"
Ma Dabao, of course, insisted that Fubao had hit him.
Yun Tinglu waved her spatula threateningly. "Ma Dabao! You better tell the truth! If you lie, I'll give you a whack every time I see you!"
Fubao, standing beside her mother, feigned fear, her voice trembling. "Mother, I didn't hit him. He took my peach, ate it all, and wanted another. When I didn't have one, he threatened to hit me. I ran away, and he fell down on his own. He even said he'd beat me whenever he saw me. I'm so scared… waaah…"
*Poor little Fubao is so scared*—the phrase fit her perfectly.