Chapter 7 Dream

Mrs. Xu was happy that her daughter knew how to show filial piety to her and her husband and also knew how to love her own brother.

But she was angry because there was so little meat, and her daughter had shared it with those stinky boys. What use was it for them to eat it? It would have been better for her precious daughter to have it.

"Daughter, why did you share all the meat? It was specially served for you by your grandmother!" Mrs. Xu finished speaking and glared at her sons, grandsons, and daughters-in-law, "What are you looking at? Is the meat for you to eat? Hurry up and give it back!"

Xu Jian Country was cowed by his wife's glare in an instant, and was about to return the meat in his bowl to his daughter.

But Xu Ying was not happy and hid the bowl in her chest, "Mom, you must eat this meat too. If you don't eat it, I won't eat either."

Mrs. Xu felt her daughter's filial piety and her eyes instantly reddened, "You silly girl, what do your dad and I need to eat this for? We're already of such an old age, eating it would be a waste.

You just recovered; eating more will help you replenish your body."

Xu Ying's eyes turned red, and tears formed in the corner of her eyes, as she shook her head and said, "Mom, Dad, do you know? During these days when I was unconscious, I had a dream, where I dreamed that because I didn't listen to you and Dad, I married Dong Zhiqing.

Then he cheated me of my money and also tricked me into returning to the city. After he returned to the city, he abandoned me, and Dad was harmed by someone and died, then not long after, Mom, you also left me.

Even my eldest brother was harmed by someone and lost his leg, but Eldest Sister-in-law Xu was still inseparable from my brother, and one by one you all left me. Without anyone to protect me, people bullied me."

Xu Ying adjusted some details from her previous life, but when speaking of the events from her past life, she still cried uncontrollably.

Seeing her precious daughter crying, Mrs. Xu's heart ached terribly, "Daughter, don't cry. Aren't your dad and I fine?

Look at your eldest brother; he's fine too. It was just a dream, all messy, push it aside."

Mr. Xu was also very anxious, "Yingying, your mom and I are in good health, and our family doesn't have any enemies. Who would harm us? What you experienced was just a dream, not reality."

Xu Da looked concerned, but he wasn't good with words and could only say, "Little sister, don't cry."

Today, touched three times by her little sister's kindness, Eldest Sister-in-law Xu spoke seriously, "Little sister, don't cry. Isn't our family all right?

It was just a dream. From now on, I will take good care of your big brother, ensuring that we all live long and healthy lives, and I will protect you for a lifetime."

Xu Ying wiped her tears and said pitifully, "Okay, you all have to stay well and be with me, take care of your health, and don't leave me behind."

Mrs. Xu and Mr. Xu, fearing their daughter would cry again, quickly nodded their heads.

Xu Da and Eldest Sister-in-law Xu also hurriedly promised, "Don't worry, little sister. Your big brother (and big sister-in-law) will definitely not leave you behind."

Second Brother Xu, who usually had a carefree demeanor, suddenly seemed much more composed, "Second brother won't either."

Xu Xingyun, being older, felt moved knowing his little aunt also had them in her heart, "Shitou won't leave little aunt behind either."

Xu Xing, in a childlike voice, said, "Hu Zi won't either."

Mrs. Xu thought of her third son with a spark in her eyes, "Your third brother, even less so."

Xu Ying smiled through her tears, "That's good. Now, eat well and nourish your bodies properly; you must stay with me."

Mrs. Xu, afraid her daughter would cry again and no longer minding that her sons had taken her daughter's meat, urged, "Hurry and eat the meat. You have such a kind heart, little sister, to be scared by a dream like that."

Then, the rest of the Xu family excitedly dared to finish the meat.

After breakfast, Mr. Xu, neatly dressed, took the family to work.

Eight-year-old Xu Xingyun, who was sensible, carried the chicken feed and began to feed the family's hens.

Eldest Sister-in-law Xu swiftly washed the dishes and ran off to work in a hurry.

Before leaving, she didn't forget to instruct her eldest son to take good care of Xu Ying.

Xu Ying sat in the courtyard, overjoyed upon hearing her big sister-in-law telling Shitou to take care of her.

She was eighteen years old this year, and Shitou was only eight. If anyone should take care of anyone, it should be her, the aunt, taking care of her nephew.

But thinking back on her previous actions, well, she had been too bad.

"Hu Zi, come here, let your little aunt take a good look at you."

Hu Zi looked at Xu Ying with soft, adoring eyes, almost melting her heart.

Shitou, who was feeding the hens, heard the little aunt calling for her brother and his face tightened with concern as he looked over at Xu Ying.

Seeing that Xu Ying merely patted Hu Zi's little head and then held him in her arms, Shitou relaxed and a slight smile curved his lips as he continued feeding the hens.

After he had fed the hens, he immediately went to the backyard to get a sickle and a carrying basket.

Seeing Shitou head to the backyard, Xu Ying placed Hu Zi on a stool and sat him down properly. She then sneakily took out three chicken eggs from her space and carefully placed them in the hen's nest.

Nowadays, the number of chickens raised by each household was fixed, with each family having three.

No sooner had she placed the eggs than Shitou appeared with a sickle, carrying a basket half his size on his back, in the front yard.

In the past, Xu Ying would not have given this a second thought, but now, seeing the little Shitou carrying a basket almost as big as himself, her heart instantly felt a pang of sorrow.

"Little aunt, what are you doing?"

Xu Ying pointed at the hen's nest and asked, "Shitou, did you collect the eggs this morning? Why are there so many eggs in this nest?"

Upon hearing this, Shitou became unsettled and quickly ran to the nest, where his eyes immediately saw the white, large chicken eggs.

His brow relaxed, and he smiled, "There really are eggs, I didn't see them just now."

Shitou put down the sickle and basket, and quickly stepped into the nest, touching the eggs, "Ouch, little aunt, guess how many eggs there are today!"

"How many?"

"Five eggs, could it be that one hen laid two?" Shitou's face was full of shock.

Xu Ying followed with a curious expression, "Really? For real?"

Shitou immediately looked up proudly and said, "Why would I lie to you? Look, aren't these five eggs?"

Xu Ying covered her mouth and chuckled, "It's true! Our family's old hen is so amazing. With so many eggs, I'll make you some egg custard to drink."

Upon hearing this, Hu Zi's eyes lit up, and he licked his lips at the thought of the morning's egg custard, almost drooling.

"Little aunt, to eat egg custard."

Xu Ying smiled at Hu Zi and curved her lips, "Alright."

Shitou said nothing, not wanting to shatter his brother's sweet dream; after all, egg custard wasn't something you could have whenever you wanted.

Occasionally having it was enough for him.

"Little aunt, you rest at home, I'm going to go up the mountain to pick pigweed. Hu Zi, you listen to the little aunt at home and don't run around, okay?" Shitou looked indulgently at Xu Ying like a little adult and then turned his head to sternly tell Hu Zi.

Hu Zi obediently nodded.

However, Xu Ying called out to Shitou, "Shitou, I have nothing to do at home and I want to go up the mountain to have a look. Let's take Hu Zi and go together."

Upon hearing he could go out to play, Hu Zi immediately smiled with expectation, his eyes curving as he looked at Shitou.

Shitou hesitated, recalling mother's instructions to let the little aunt rest at home. What if she caught a cold on the mountain?

"Little aunt, there's nothing fun on the mountain. You rest at home."

Xu Ying wouldn't agree, and with a stern face, she said, "I'm going with you to the mountain, so hurry up, or else I won't share the eggs with you next time."

Upon hearing that, Shitou immediately caved in. He couldn't bear the thought of missing out on such a delicious treat.

He'd just have to keep a close watch over his little aunt on the mountain.

After all, children can't resist the temptation of delicious food.

So, what was a solo journey turned into a trip of three.

Worried that Granny would see them and scold them, Shitou led Xu Ying around the back to go up the mountain.

Xu Ying had not originally expected to find anything good on the mountain, but once she actually got there, she realized the mountain was even more desolate than she had imagined.