บท 25: Chapter 16 Wild Chicken Eggs_2
"Let's eat together," Lian Manman said.
The twigs crackled as they burned, and nights with such darkness were rare. The children ate slowly, chatting and laughing as they did. A smile blended into Lian Manman's eyes as well.
When the twigs had burned out, and the ashes had cooled down, Lian Wulang used a stick to dig out several wild chicken eggs and bird eggs from the ashes.
"They're ready," Lian Wulang cracked open a wild chicken egg and announced.
The egg was still hot. Lian Wulang breathed in to cool it down, swapping the egg from hand to hand. After peeling one wild chicken egg, Lian Zhizhi peeled two bird eggs and handed them to Lian Manman.
Lian Manman took them, peeling the shells off the still warm eggs, feeling the heat slowly soak from her palm into her body.
"Everyone eat together," Lian Manman said.
"Manman, you eat first."
Lian Manman thought it over. Compared to the darkness, the wild chicken eggs and bird eggs were surely more precious. These children were treating her as if she were ill.
"Let's eat together. If you don't eat, I won't either," Lian Manman insisted.
The children giggled once more.
"I told you, Second Sister is still the same Second Sister... she hasn't changed," Xiao Qi said with a grin.
"Have I... have I changed?" Lian Manman asked.
"Not at all..." Lian Wulang scratched his head and stutteringly said, "Manman, that is... I don't want to ride on Uncle's coattails, I don't want to go to school."
Why Lian Wulang would suddenly say this perplexed Lian Manman.
"Second Sister, I also don't want to go to school, don't want to be a young master," Xiao Qi said, finally serious.
"Manman, I've got big feet, in the future... marrying a farmer will be enough for me," Lian Zhizhi said softly, her face blushing.
"What are you all talking about..."
"We didn't know that meant they were going to sell you..." Lian Zhizhi, Lian Wulang, and Xiao Qi said, pushing the peeled eggs they held toward Lian Manman.
Lian Manman was somewhat shocked. After pondering for a moment, she suddenly understood. Maybe Lian Zhizhi and the others heard the conversation between Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin that night, or perhaps they learned the truth of the situation from the mouths of other Lian Family members over the past few days.
This was their way of expressing their apology to Lian Manman.
Lian Manman took a deep breath. Her situation had nothing to do with these children; the instigators were a few people from the Lian Family Main Wife's side. She blamed Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin for their foolishness and weakness, but she would never blame Lian Zhizhi, Wulang, or Xiao Qi.
"I know, I don't blame you," Lian Manman said thoughtfully. Like her, these children couldn't yet control their own destinies.
"Dad and Mom didn't mean to do it. They're very regretful," Lian Zhizhi said, being a few years older and more sensitive, she again spoke for Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin.
This time, Lian Manman didn't nod but instead distributed the chicken and bird eggs in her hands to Lian Zhizhi, Wulang, and Xiao Qi.
The children silently continued eating.
"If Dad and Mom don't agree, not to mention Uncle and Auntie, even Grandpa and Grandma can't sell me," Lian Manman stated.
The children remained silent, understanding this logic.
"I also know Dad and Mom didn't do it on purpose," Lian Manman said, not quite sincerely, but knowing the three children's feelings towards Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin, she felt the need to say it, "But Dad and Mom, especially Mom, are too gentle, and that's why they get deceived and bullied."
Lian Zhizhi, Lian Wulang, and Xiao Qi all nodded. Although they were young, they weren't foolish and had seen everything that went on at home.
"We are all grown up now," Lian Manman said as she saw her words resonate with the children, seizing the moment she added, "From now on, we must help Dad and Mom, not to let them be cheated or bullied anymore. Also, we have to make sure that no one dares to sell us again."
"Manman is right," Lian Wulang said.
"Second sister, I will listen to you," Xiao Qi said.
Lian Zhizhi and Lian Wulang both nodded.
"Manman, these past few days, you've changed, well, not entirely changed, just a bit... for the better." Lian Wulang couldn't find the right words to express himself, but Manman understood him nonetheless.
Lian Manman's defiance had opened a new door for the children, showing them for the first time that they didn't necessarily have to accept their lot in life; they could act differently, things could be different.
Lian Manman looked at Lian Zhizhi, Lian Wulang, and Xiao Qi. She had intended to reform Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin, the two big 'dumplings,' but had forgotten about these smaller 'dumplings.' Under the influence of Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin, there was a high chance the small 'dumplings' would grow into big 'dumplings.' However, now that she was here, it seemed the small 'dumplings' hadn't been too badly poisoned.
Her first task was to unite the small 'dumplings,' lead them out of their suffering, and together, they would reform the big 'dumplings.' Manman clenched her fist.
After they finished the roasted eggs, the children tidied up a bit and prepared to head home. Manman saw that Zhizhi hadn't eaten her wild chicken egg; instead, she carefully placed it into her bosom.
"I'm taking it home for Mom," Zhizhi said, "Dad and Uncle get to eat something decent when they're out, but Mom doesn't get anything good at home."
Wulang and Xiao Qi scratched their heads, realizing they hadn't been as thoughtful as Zhizhi.
"Big sister, why didn't you say something sooner? We should have saved those two bird eggs for Mom," said Wulang and Xiao Qi.
"This one is enough; Mom won't take more—even if she does, you should eat them," Zhizhi said as she patted Xiao Qi's head and smiled.
Although both were fourteen, Zhizhi, albeit frail, was beginning to exude maternal grace, very much the elder sister, incomparable to Lian Xiuxiu and Lian Zhizhi. Manman thought, Lady Zhang's children really had been raised well.
It was still early, and they weren't in a hurry, strolling leisurely along the country road, Xiao Qi even catching grasshoppers in the bushes by the wayside.
Some girls around Zhizhi's age approached from the opposite direction, one in a red dress walking with a distinctive sway, the most conspicuous among them.
"Look who it is, Zhizhi, you're so early, already done digging up vegetables," the girls greeted Zhizhi, but their eyes kept darting to Manman, especially the one in the red dress, who gave Manman a few hard stares as they passed by.
"Yingzi, I thought you said Manman was dead? She looks pretty alive and well to me," the girls whispered among themselves as they walked away.
Manman turned her head just in time to see a glimpse of a golden bracelet on the wrist of the girl in the red dress, which emerged as she moved, her sleeve fluttering slightly.
A golden bracelet, huh? Even among those who dig up wild vegetables, there appear to be rich ones.
"Who's that girl in the red dress wearing a golden bracelet?" Manman asked Zhizhi.
"That's Yingzi, Aunt Liu Si's daughter. She used to come to our house to see Sister Huahua, but not these past two days," Zhizhi explained.
Could she be Huahua's close friend, and could she also have witnessed Huahua shattering the Jade Pendant? Manman was getting curious.
Zhizhi affirmed Manman's guess.
"Sister, were you there that day?" Manman asked.
Zhizhi shook her head, explaining that at home, apart from her biological sister Lian Duo, Huahua only really got on with Lian Xiu and rarely interacted with the rest of them. She had only learned about what happened with the Jade Pendant afterwards.
Before they reached the entrance to the village, a carriage came rushing out.
Manman quickly ushered the children to the side of the road. When the carriage reached Manman, it stopped in front of her.
"Manman, are you feeling better?" A young man lifted the carriage curtain and smiled at Manman.
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