Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Malice of the Stepmother

“Mother, bring out some food,” Ankang called as soon as he stepped through the door.

“Yes, yes,” Madam Luo replied, hurrying into the kitchen. Soon she emerged with a large bowl of rice mixed with bean dregs, a plate of stir-fried eggs with chives, and a plate of baby greens.

“Guyu, hurry and eat,” Ankang said, pushing chopsticks into Li Guyu’s hands.

Li Guyu didn’t dare move, glancing timidly at Madam Luo.

She slid the bowl toward him with a gentle smile. “Go ahead, eat. Don’t be shy.”

“Th-thank you, Auntie.” Li Guyu bowed his head and shoveled the food into his mouth as fast as he could.

Anyi watched him eat with such voracity that she frowned slightly and asked tentatively, “Li Guyu, how many meals have you missed?”

Swallowing hard, Li Guyu replied, “I haven’t eaten since the night before last.”

The An family fell silent, gazing sympathetically at the thin boy, a victim of his cruel stepmother.

“Guyu, don’t just eat the rice, have some vegetables too.” Tears shimmered in Madam Luo’s eyes as she picked up her chopsticks and placed a helping of scrambled eggs in his bowl.

Li Guyu, eating too hastily, began to choke. “Cough, cough—”

“Slow down, don’t rush. Shuanzi, go pour a cup of water for Guyu,” Madam Luo said, rubbing her nose to hold back her tears.

Li Guyu ate three large bowls of rice in succession, consuming half the vegetables and eggs, then wiped his mouth with his sleeve and belched contentedly. “Thank you, Auntie. Auntie, I… I…”

“Are you still hungry? I can get you another bowl,” Madam Luo asked softly.

“No, Auntie, I’m full. I just… I’d like to take some home for my sister. May I?” Li Guyu lowered his head in shame, his face flushed.

“Yuan’er hasn’t eaten for two days either?” Madam Luo asked, her voice trembling.

Li Guyu nodded, tears glimmering in his eyes.

With a deep breath, Madam Luo hurried into the kitchen, rekindled the fire, and fried two more eggs. She poured the remaining rice and vegetables into a large bowl, set the eggs on top, and returned to the room. “Guyu, take these home to your sister. If you ever have nothing to eat, just come to Auntie’s house. Don’t starve—you’ll hurt your health.”

Kind-hearted by nature, Madam Luo felt for the siblings, orphaned young, with a father who showed no love and a stepmother who was vicious. Even though her own family was not wealthy, she did all she could to help these pitiful children.

“Thank you, Auntie.” Li Guyu bowed deeply to Madam Luo, then to Ankang and his siblings. “Thank you, Zhuzige, thank you, Shuanzi, thank you, Xier.”

“Silly child, no need for thanks. Hurry home now. It’s dark—be careful on the road, don’t fall,” Madam Luo said through tears.

Li Guyu bowed again before carrying the bowl away. The An family watched his frail figure disappear into the night and sighed in unison. A child living under the tyranny of a stepmother—how pitiful!

When he was gone, Anjian looked at the empty bowl, his face full of worry. “Mother, what will we have for dinner?”

Madam Luo paused, then smiled with pursed lips. “Tonight, you don’t get any—let you go hungry for a meal.”

Anjian put on a show of sighing. “Mother, I’m your own son!”

“My own son? I picked you up from the fields while I was working,” Madam Luo teased.

“Mother, since you worked so hard to bring me home, you can’t let me go hungry. If I starve, you’ll feel sorry,” Anjian said, sidling up to her with a flattering grin.

Madam Luo laughed. “I do feel sorry, but there’s no more bean dregs. What shall I cook for you?”

“Mother, if there’s no bean dregs, let’s just cook plain white rice,” Anyi suggested.

Madam Luo went to check the rice jar. “There’s not much white rice left. If I cook it all tonight, there’ll be none for tomorrow.”

“If we finish it, we can always buy more. Second Brother and I gathered a lot of herbs today—we’ll make plenty of money,” Anyi said with a bright smile.

“If you spend all your money, how will you buy a house in town?” Madam Luo teased, struggling to keep a straight face.

“Money spent can always be earned again. Besides, food comes before shelter—eating is more important than where we live. We should fill our stomachs first, and only buy a house if there’s money left over,” Anyi declared with conviction.

“Mother, Little Sister is right,” Anjian the foodie agreed, raising both hands.

Madam Luo laughed heartily. “All right, you’re all right. I’ll cook white rice for you.”

Even plain white rice tasted so much better than rice mixed with bean dregs. Even without side dishes, with just some pickled vegetables, Anjian ate two big bowls, then sprawled in his chair, patting his stomach. “So full, so full.”

“You little rascal—wolfing down food like you’ve been starved for years! Was there ever a day you went hungry in this house?” Madam Luo scolded with a laugh.

This supper was truly a proper dinner. After eating, Anyi, used to going to bed early, began yawning repeatedly, sleep heavy in her eyes. Madam Luo quickly sent her to wash up, and told Ankang and his brother to go to the adjoining room to sort herbs.

The next morning, the three siblings headed up the mountain—Ankang and Anjian to cut firewood, Anyi to dig for herbs.

At the village entrance, they ran into Xinliu. Three became four; Anyi, unable to send her away, pressed her lips together and sulked in silence the entire way. Xinliu, on the contrary, was in high spirits, humming as she walked with a spring in her step.

“Woodcutter climbs the mountain,” Ankang called, seizing the chance to quiz his brother since he hadn’t been home for several days.

“Are we making couplets again?” Anjian scratched his head. “Fisherman goes to the water.”

“The woodcutter climbs the mountain to chop wood,” Ankang added two words to his own line.

“That’s easy. The fisherman goes to the water to catch fish.”

Ankang shook his head with a smile. “Shuanzi, my couplet starts and ends with the same word. Yours should too.”

Anjian thought for a moment. “The fisherman goes to the water to fish.”

“The woodcutter climbs the mountain to chop wood, the blade rises and the wood splits.”

“Adding more words again?” Anjian scratched his head once more. “The fisherman goes to the water to fish, the net sinks and the fish surge.”

Anyi glanced at Xinliu, seeing her gaze at Ankang with undisguised admiration. She snorted in disdain—truly a toad lusting after a swan.

Ankang supplied the first line, Anjian the second; the two occasionally turned back to look after Anyi and Xinliu following behind.

“Little sister, Xinliu, there are thorns here—be careful.”

“Little sister, Xinliu, this rock is loose—don’t step on it.”

Xinliu stuck close to Ankang, smiling like a blooming flower.

In spring, they cut grass and twigs, not needing to venture deep into the mountains. Reaching a thicket, Anjian grinned and asked, “Little sister, do you want to eat ‘March Bubbles’?”

Anyi was taken aback—what were ‘March Bubbles’? She wasn’t sure, but replied, “Yes, where are they?”

“Wait here. Second Brother will pick some for you,” Anjian said, diving into the thicket.