As the night passed, the sun rose once more.
Xu Fubao woke up early, not out of habit, but because she was hungry.
Her body was so weak that secretly drinking the spring water and eating good food was the only way to nourish it.
But doing so too often might arouse suspicion.
Besides, her father, mother, and brothers weren't living comfortably either.
With that in mind, Fubao came up with a plan: head to the mountains!
To the west of Taohua Village lay Wuzhi Mountain. Her father made a decent living hunting there, earning about ten taels of silver each year.
With her plan set, Fubao dressed and climbed out of bed.
Yun Tinglu and Xu Dahai were already awake, cooking in the kitchen.
When Yun Tinglu saw Fubao, she scooped her up in her arms. "Fubao, are you hungry? Mother's making big meat buns today. How many can you eat?"
Big meat buns?
Fubao's mouth watered instantly.
I'm ready to eat—always ready!
"I can eat a lot!" Fubao exclaimed, trying to sound bold, but her soft, sweet voice made it sound utterly adorable.
Sigh...
She had forgotten she was just a cute little girl now.
"Haha! My Fubao can eat a lot!" Yun Tinglu beamed, loving her darling daughter's cuteness.
Xu Dahai was equally delighted. His daughter could speak now—she was no longer the mute child who had always been bullied.
The three brothers soon emerged from their room, their eyes wide at the smell of the meat buns.
Mother was really treating them
—they weren't even close to New Year's, yet they were having meat buns!
Fubao saw her brothers' hungry expressions and couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle.
Hehe...
No need to feel embarrassed—we're all here to eat!
Before long, a large pot of steaming meat buns was brought to the table, accompanied by a bowl of egg soup.
Xu Yibai, his chubby hands clapping in excitement, exclaimed, "Father, Mother, are we celebrating the New Year? Haha..."
Xu Jiayan, his eyes wide, stared at the buns, swallowing hard.
It felt better than New Year's—the buns were plump and white, and there was egg soup too!
Xu Younian, though silent, didn't take his eyes off the buns either.
"Enough talk, dig in! Eat as much as you want; there's plenty!" Yun Tinglu urged, her heart aching for her children.
Raising three sons on her own had not been easy.
Seeing Fubao now, her heart ached even more.
Such a little girl, with her own mother still alive, had been through so much suffering.
No matter what, she vowed to give these children a better life from now on.
Xu Dahai felt the same. Now that they had separated from the rest of the family, no one would ever bully his wife or children again.
The four children, unaware of their parents' thoughts, devoured their meat buns and soup with great satisfaction.
As for the adults, they couldn't bear to eat their fill.
All they had left was about sixty taels of silver, ten of which had been spent the day before.
There was still so much to buy—clothing, shoes, furniture, kitchen utensils, food... The list seemed endless.
They had no land either, so finding a way to make money was crucial.
By the end of breakfast, the meat buns were gone, and the egg soup had been finished.
The four children, now full, beamed with contentment.
After cleaning up, Yun Tinglu told them, "Jiayan, you're the eldest. Look after your brothers and sister today. Your father and I are going to town to buy you new clothes, understand?"
New clothes?
Fubao's eyes lit up.
She loved wearing new clothes, and the ones she was wearing now had been found discarded outside.
Truly, having a mother was wonderful!
"Don't worry, Mother. I'll take good care of everyone," Xu Jiayan promised earnestly.
Feeling reassured, Yun Tinglu and Xu Dahai left hand in hand.
Taohua Town wasn't far, and they'd be back in under two hours.
But as soon as they left, Fubao was restless. "Brothers, let's go play on Wuzhi Mountain!"
Xu Yibai immediately shook his head. "Sister, Mother just told us to stay home and behave."
But Fubao had no intention of staying home—she wanted to go explore and make money.
"Brothers, don't you want to eat meat buns every day, without worrying about your next meal?" Fubao asked, her little hands clasped behind her back, as if she had all the answers.
Xu Jiayan nodded eagerly. "Of course, I do!"
He had noticed earlier that their parents hadn't eaten much, and it made him feel sad for them.
Xu Younian, with his stern face, asked, "What's your plan?"
Fubao nodded confidently and waved her brothers closer, whispering her idea to them.
Xu Yibai was startled. "Sister, I heard Wuzhi Mountain is dangerous! There are man-eating wolves, wild boars, and tigers..."
Xu Jiayan shared the same concern. "And what if we run into someone stronger than us and they steal our things?"
But Xu Younian, ever bold, said, "Fortune favors the brave!"
"Third Brother is right! Let's go!" Fubao agreed, her eyes gleaming.
She wasn't afraid of wild animals—why should she fear mere people?
"But... what if thieves come to the house while we're gone?" Xu Yibai hesitated, still uneasy.
Fubao tugged him along. "Don't worry, there won't be any thieves. And if there are, they'll be caught and thrown in jail."
And so, the four siblings set off for Wuzhi Mountain, empty-handed but determined.
Wuzhi Mountain wasn't far—by taking a shortcut, they could reach it in under an hour.
Fubao led the way, her brothers following close behind, each carrying a handful of stones.
They were ready. If they encountered wild beasts, they'd throw the stones to knock them out or even kill them!
They had full faith in their little sister Fubao.
"Sister... Is that a wild boar?" Xu Yibai's trembling voice pointed toward the bushes ahead.
Xu Jiayan quickly stepped in front of his siblings. "Don't be afraid, everyone."
Xu Younian also moved to the front, shielding Fubao.
Fubao: ...
Brothers, I'm actually really strong, you know. Sigh...
Maybe it wasn't time yet to reveal her true power.
"The wild boars are coming! Brothers, throw your stones! As long as one hits, they'll fall and won't be able to get up! Hurry, throw!" Fubao shouted as four or five wild boars charged toward them.
Her brothers, spurred on by her words, hurled their stones.
"I hit one!" Xu Yibai yelled joyfully.
"I got one too!" Xu Jiayan echoed, equally thrilled.
"Third Brother is the best! He hit three at once!" Fubao cheered.
Wow!
Couldn't you guys leave me a chance to show off?
The Xu brothers were elated, ready to step forward and claim their prize.
But then...
"Stop right there! Those wild boars belong to us!"