Secretly nourish the body of the family members

A few days later, Zhu Qing'an woke up early in the morning before the sky was bright. She prepared a basket, rope, and a small knife as quietly as possible. Her delicate figure stepped out of the house with careful steps. She didn't want Old Lady Zhu and Zhu Changhai in the main house to know what she had done.

" If they find out that I can make money … everything I've worked so hard for will be theirs," she thought to herself as she walked along the small path leading deep into the forest.

In the quiet forest, Zhu Qing'an was still skillfully using her previous life's knowledge, collecting valuable herbs, wild mushrooms, and fruits, but this time, she didn't collect too many.

" If I bring back too many things, it might raise suspicion," she muttered to herself. She only picked out items that could be sold for a good price and were lightweight, so as not to be seen as suspicious.

Sometimes she stops by the stream to drink from the clean water source and takes a short break to check on the health of the trees and the surrounding area.

After collecting enough wild animals, she headed towards Haitong County on a quiet and uncrowded path. She chose to follow the path her original body remembered, in order to reduce the chances of encountering people.

When she reached the market in the district, she sold the forest products to the merchants she had met before. With a friendly attitude and a reasonable price, she was able to sell the forest products at a good price.

" This child is good at collecting quality forest products to sell every day," a vendor praised her as he paid her.

Zhu Qing'an just smiled in response, but didn't say much. She didn't want anyone to remember her identity too much.

After getting money from selling forest products, she quickly bought rice, meat, and fresh vegetables, choosing only the right amount. She knew that if she brought back too much, Old Lady Zhu and Zhu Changhai might notice something was wrong.

When she returned home in the evening, she chose to hide in the back yard so that no one would see what was in her basket.

" Today was a bit tiring, but it was worth it," she told herself as she quietly packed up her food and supplies.

Every day, Zhu Qing'an had to live on a tightrope between secret and disclosure. She knew that Old Lady Zhu and Zhu Changhai were greedy and cruel. If they knew that she could earn money and food on her own, everything she had worked so hard for would be taken away by them.

Every early morning, before anyone in the main house woke up, Zhu Qing'an would quietly get out of bed. She had prepared the basket and tools for gathering forest products in advance the night before, to avoid making loud noises that might wake the people in the house.

She chose to take the deserted back road where no one passed by, knowing that if she passed the main house, Old Lady Zhu or Zhu Changhai might see her and ask questions. She walked out of the house with footsteps as light as a cat's, and never forgot to close the door carefully.

When she returned from the forest, her basket was often filled with herbs, wild mushrooms, and fruits. She would go around to the back of the house and hide the basket in a place where Old Lady Zhu and Zhu Changhai would never find it, such as in thick bushes or under the broken earthen roof that had been stacked.

After that, she would gradually bring things into the house little by little so as not to be seen as suspicious. Everything she brought back would be stored neatly, especially fine foods such as meat and rice.

Zhu Qing'an knew that if her family ate abnormally well, Old Mother Zhu and Zhu Changhai might notice, so she carefully planned the use of resources. Some of the food would be cooked simply so that it would not be too fragrant and would not attract attention.

On some days, she and Lin Ai would pretend to eat only plain vegetables, but in reality, good meat and rice were hidden elsewhere to nourish Zhu Changyu and his two younger brothers' bodies.

Zhu Qing'an tried not to appear in the main courtyard unless necessary, especially during the times when Old Lady Zhu and Zhu Changhai were patrolling. She chose to work at home or in a shaded area to avoid confrontation.

Sometimes, if she had to meet them, she would pretend to be weak and seriously ill so that they would not doubt her abilities.

The heavy footsteps or loud voices of Old Lady Zhu and Zhu Changhai kept her on high alert. If they approached, she would quickly collect anything that might be evidence that the Second Family was better than they knew.

Even in family conversations, she warned her mother and younger brother not to mention the things she brought where they might overhear.

Although living cautiously was tiring, she never gave up. Her love for her family and determination to change her life for the better were her biggest driving forces.

" I will never let them destroy what I have built again," she thought to herself every time she felt scared.

Every night before going to bed, she would check her food and belongings to make sure everything was intact and that no one would know about her secret.

" One day … I will take everyone out of here and start a new life without hiding anymore," she said to herself in her mind, promising to do everything she can to protect her family from the clutches of Old Lady Zhu and Zhu Changhai.

After several days had passed, after Zhu Qing'an began to bring nutritious food to nourish the family, Zhu Changyu, who was originally thin and covered in wounds from being attacked and hunted, began to get better little by little.

Every day, Zhu Qing'an would select the best parts of what she could find, whether it was fresh fish from the stream, quality meat, or herbs that could help restore the body, to cook for her father.

" Father, you should eat this stewed meat with herbs first, so that your body can recover faster," she said, scooping a small bowl of soup and handing it to Zhu Changyu.

The faint fragrance of the herbal soup mixed with the meat made Zhu Changyu feel better immediately after taking his first sip. Although he still couldn't speak much because of his wounds, the sparkling eyes showed that he could sense his daughter's love and intentions.

Zhu Changyu's body, which had been exhausted, began to regain strength. He was able to sit up on his own without the help of Lin Ai or Zhu Qingyang. Although he still could not walk, his complexion looked brighter.

" Father, you look much better today," Zhu Qing'an said with a faint smile as she wiped the sweat off him.

" Isn't it because of you, my son ? " Zhu Changyu replied softly, his tone filled with gratitude.

Not only did the food help Zhu Changyu's body get better, but the encouragement from his family, especially Zhu Qing'an, who was always by his side and took care of him, was also an important factor in giving him the strength to fight the pain.

On some days, Zhu Qing'an would tell her little stories she encountered in the forest, or tell her plans to improve her family's life.

" I promise, Father … soon our family will be free from this suffering," she said in a resolute tone.