Nightfall and New Resolve
The soft orange glow of the oil lamp bathed the small room as the night deepened. The air was still, save for the faint rustling of leaves outside. After the hearty meal, Yun'er was already starting to nod off, her tiny head bobbing as she sat by the fire. Little Zhi rubbed his eyes, trying to stay awake as he helped his mother stack the bowls.
"That's enough for today, Zhi'er," Jian Yiling said gently, taking the last bowl from his hands. "It's bedtime."
Yun'er gave a sleepy yawn. "Mama, can we eat pork again tomorrow?"
"Yes, but only if you both get a good night's sleep." Yiling smiled as she wiped the children's hands and faces with a damp cloth. She guided them to the straw-padded bed they all shared, its thin blankets barely enough to keep them warm on winter nights.
As the children climbed into bed, Yiling helped Yun'er untie the fraying ribbon in her hair and smoothed out her daughter's tangled locks. Her hand brushed against the thin, patched fabric of Yun'er's shirt, and her brow furrowed.
Her gaze shifted to Little Zhi, who was curled up under the blanket. His clothes, too, were threadbare, barely stitched together after countless repairs. Holes at the elbows and knees revealed skin that was too pale for a child who should be brimming with vitality.
Jian Yiling sat on the edge of the bed, watching her sleeping children. They looked so peaceful, their soft breathing filling the quiet room. But she couldn't ignore the ache in her chest. Their thin, tattered clothes were no match for the colder days ahead.
Her mind turned to the items still stored away: the tusks, the hide, and a small pouch of dried herbs she'd collected from the mountain. She weighed her options, the gears in her head turning.
"I'll sew some clothes myself," she whispered to no one in particular. "But first, we need fabric... and better needles. That means money."
She pressed a hand to her chin, lost in thought. Perhaps she could trade the herbs for coins at the market. Or, if she carefully rationed the boar meat, she might sell portions of it to wealthier families in the village. The hide could fetch a fair price if tanned properly.
Her fingers tightened around the threadbare blanket. "I'll make this work. Whatever it takes, these two won't suffer like this anymore."
Leaning down, she kissed Yun'er's forehead, brushing her soft curls aside. Then she turned to Little Zhi, pressing a kiss onto his messy hair. Neither stirred, but their small hands curled instinctively closer to her.
Yiling lay down beside them, tucking the blanket up to their chins. She stared up at the uneven ceiling, her heart lighter despite the weight of her plans. A smile crept onto her lips as she listened to the rhythm of her children's breathing.
"This time," she whispered, her voice steady and resolute, "we'll have a better life. Together."
With that thought, she drifted into a peaceful sleep, her smile still lingering as the moonlight peeked through the cracks of their home.