After the family split up, my stepmother and scumbag father begged me to come home.

Passing by a grain and oil shop, she bought a pound of flour and two pounds of rice. Next door, she grabbed a handful of peppercorns and chili peppers from a spice stall. Lin Qianqian counted out thirty-five coins and arranged them one by one on the counter.

"Enough for two meals is enough," she thought to herself. She'd been going to town frequently lately, so she could get whatever she needed without having to buy too much.

In this world, two teenagers with food are easy prey for those with ulterior motives.

She and Ah Long combined couldn't even field an adult to back them up; if a conflict were to break out, they would be the ones who suffer.

Once we left the town, we walked back as usual.

The oxcart cost two coins per person. Lin Qianqian gritted her teeth and endured it, knowing that if the villagers saw her, she would get into trouble.

The soles of her feet were burning hot, and every step felt like walking on shards of broken porcelain. She knew that she had blisters.

"Sister, I'll carry you." Ah Long jogged up a couple of steps behind her and looked up at her.

Lin Qianqian glanced down at her younger brother's physique.

The food had improved these days, and Ah Long's face had finally gained some weight, but he was still only nine years old, and his shoulders were as narrow as sticks. She sighed inwardly—never mind, she'd carry him on her back.

"No need." Her voice was indifferent. She tightened the straps of her basket, her steps unwavering. The two children followed behind, stepping on their shadows.

When they reached the village entrance, Lin Qianqian suddenly turned her head and said, "Tiger, come over for dinner tonight. I'll make spicy rabbit."

Ding Xiaohu was taken aback, and subconsciously scratched the back of his head: "Sister Qianqian, I won't go... You already gave me a rabbit."

"You came just because your sister told you to? Don't you want to try your sister's cooking?" Lin Yulong interjected, tilting his head.

"Yes," Tiger nodded honestly.

"Then you'd better hurry, or I'll eat them all if you're late," Lin Yulong added with a grin.

"Wait for me! I'm coming back right now!" Tiger shouted deliberately, then turned and ran, raising a small cloud of yellow dust on the dirt road.

The siblings exchanged a glance, and the corners of their mouths curved into smiles.

Ding Xiaohu rushed into his own courtyard. His father was squatting in the yard weaving bamboo baskets, the bamboo strips flying in his hands, without even looking up: "You're back."

"Dad," Tiger replied.

Hearing the noise, Aunt Ding lifted the curtain and came out: "Tiger's back?"

"Mom, look." Tiger pulled a rabbit out of the basket. The skin had been peeled off cleanly, and the white meat gleamed in the twilight.

"Oh! Where did this come from? And it's all so neatly tidied up." Aunt Ding took it and examined it from all angles.

"We caught them on the mountain." Tiger pulled out another handful of wild vegetables, each one fresh and crisp. "There are more here."

"These wild vegetables are so tender." Aunt Ding happily weighed them in her hand. "Your eldest and second brothers will be back soon. Tonight, we'll stew rabbit and stir-fry some wild vegetables. That'll be enough for a good meal."

She turned and walked toward the kitchen, but Hu Zi followed her in, closed the door behind her, thought for a moment, and then bent down and pushed the window shut.

On such a hot day, the room suddenly felt as stuffy as a steamer.

Aunt Ding placed the rabbit meat on the cutting board, turned around, put her hands on her hips, and smacked her son on the forehead: "What are you doing sneaking around like that? Closing the windows and doors, are you trying to tell your mother something you don't want anyone to know?"

"Mom, actually, the rabbit was given to me by Sister Qianqian. She insisted that I caught it myself, and the wild vegetables were specially reserved for us," Tiger said embarrassedly.

After hearing this, Aunt Ding's eyes reddened a little. She wiped her hands with her apron and said, "That girl is only twelve or thirteen years old. She has a nine-year-old brother to take care of, and she also has to look after Ah Long, the youngest. Life must be so hard for her. Although our family is not rich, at least your father can weave baskets, and your older brothers can also do chores."

"Mom, Sister Qianqian invited me to her house for dinner tonight. She said she'd make spicy rabbit meat." Ding Xiaohu said tentatively.

Aunt Ding slapped her thigh and said, "Wait here, Mom will pack some things for you to take with you. That girl has it tough, we can't just eat and take things for free."

Aunt Ding rummaged through the cupboard and took out half a bag of coarse flour, a small jar of homemade pickled vegetables, and after thinking for a moment, she took down the piece of cured meat from the roof beam and cut a small strip.

"Take these with you and say they're from our family." Aunt Ding packed the things into an old cloth bag. "Also, tell your sister Qianqian that if you need firewood in the future, have your dad go chop some. Don't be shy about asking us for help."