Mo Yan hadn't been gone long when Mo Qingze awoke. Noticing his eldest daughter was absent, he didn't think much of it, assuming she had gone to relieve herself. But as he began to boil water, he saw his daughter approaching, in the light of the rising sun, with arms full of vibrant green cabbages.
Mo Qingze rubbed his eyes in disbelief, worried that it was a mirage...
Mo Yan returned merrily with a bundle of cabbages. Seeing Mo Qingze staring blankly at her with a pot of water in hand... she didn't wait for him to ask, and smoothly recited the explanation she had prepared: "Dad, we're so lucky, I found these cabbages up ahead, and there's enough here for us to eat well for a whole day!"
Her crisp voice snapped Mo Qingze out of his stupor. Watching his daughter, beaming with joy, a deep contemplation flickered through his gentle gaze, yet his face showed surprise: "I would've never expected to find such luscious cabbages in this desolate place!"
Hearing this, Mo Yan felt a chill in her heart. If it was indeed desolate, how could cabbages, which require care, possibly grow there?
She let out a "hehe" to mask her inner turmoil and sneakily observed Mo Qingze's expression, only to find him looking indifferent, as if his comment was made in passing.
Mo Yan, feeling guilty, excused herself under the pretense of washing the vegetables.
Mo Qingze, gazing at the retreating figure of his daughter fleeing in panic, felt somewhat sad: In the past, she had never kept anything from him…
If only Mo Yan knew that Mo Qingze was only probing her for that reason, she wouldn't have spent the following days in such distress!
...
There was still no oil, no salt, but Space's products were nothing short of exceptional! The cabbage was not only fresh but also contained a hint of spiritual energy. It floated in the bowl, a vibrant green that was appetizing. The taste was not only palatable but oddly sweet. Swallowed with the broth, it provided a warm sensation in the stomach, greatly alleviating the feeling of emptiness brought on by hunger.
Mo Qingze, not wanting to see his children starve and considering there was plenty of cabbage, decided it was okay to have a full day's worth of it. Saving it for the next day was not an option, as the heat would dry it out, and so he generously cooked the entire pot.
All four of them, including the broth, devoured the pot of cabbage. It was the first time they had eaten their fill since the ordeal began; the sense of satisfaction was beyond words.
"If only we could always eat such delicious cabbages in the future!" Zhenzhen, having finished the last sip of soup, licked the traces from her lips and held up her bowl, now cleaner than her face, expressing her wish.
"You think cabbages grow everywhere like wild grass? We have them today because big sister got lucky. Tomorrow, we might not even find a single blade of grass, let alone cabbages!" Xin Er, overhearing her brother's naive remarks, couldn't stop herself from dousing his hopes. But the thought of possibly going hungry again tomorrow drained her of any desire to dampen her brother's spirits.
Upon hearing this, Zhenzhen remembered how terrible it felt to starve and immediately looked distressed, clearly traumatized by their previous hunger.
Mo Yan, unhappy with what she heard, couldn't help but hug them tightly, one in each arm, and promised earnestly against their gaunt, yellow faces: "We won't go hungry again. Once we get to Jing City, we'll not only have plenty to eat, but there will be meat at every meal. I'll take you to try all the delicious food Jing City has to offer!"
Xin Er and Zhenzhen, who almost worshipped their big sister who had raised them, believed her promise without doubt and whooped as they clung to her arms.
Looking at their innocent smiles, Mo Yan made a silent vow to ensure her family would have a better life!