Watching his actions, Lin Qiao felt that things might not be so bad, and her heart settled a little.
As long as she could care for her little uncle, she didn't expect luxury, just not a life hanging by a thread.
However, raising him was a huge problem.
No money.
What Song Tingfan called a meal turned out to be a bowl of thin porridge, no, it was more like a bowl of watery rice, with very little rice.
The vegetables seemed to be boiled, with not a trace of oil.
Even at her poorest, Lin Qiao had a four-and-a-half yuan bucket of instant noodles, and holding the chopsticks, she suddenly fell silent: "..."
She somewhat understood why her original self wanted to send Song Tingfan to the brothel.
Surviving through the year under these conditions would be considered lucky.
She immediately shook off such a dangerous thought. Even if she went to the brothel, Song Tingfan could not.
She looked up at the standing young man, with his sword-like brows and starry eyes, a high nose bridge; in a year or two, when his features became more defined, he would surely be quite handsome.
"You're not eating?"
"Sister-in-law, I already ate."
Song Tingfan probably wouldn't lie; he dodged her gaze when he said this.
Lin Qiao understood that this bowl of watery rice was likely the only food in the house, so she said to him, "Go get another set of bowl and chopsticks."
Sigh, even a bowl of watery rice had to be shared; this script was truly miserable.
No pay and still risking life.
"Sister-in-law, I ate..."
Before Song Tingfan could finish speaking, Lin Qiao cut him off, coaxing like a child, "Little uncle, be good, go get them."
She was only three years older than Song Tingfan now, but her mental age was much older.
Ah, if she were here at her age, her son would probably be around Song Tingfan's age.
Hearing the words "little uncle, be good," Song Tingfan seemed a bit embarrassed as he hesitatingly went to get the bowl and chopsticks.
Lin Qiao poured him half and used chopsticks to push the rice grains into his bowl. When she pushed the fuller bowl towards him, Song Tingfan was visibly stunned, thinking she intended to keep more for herself.
He couldn't believe it and timidly asked, "Sister-in-law, is it for me?"
His cautious look softened Lin Qiao's heart; those feared must have their pitiable side.
Song Tingfan had been forced by everyone to become the antagonist.
She smiled, half in jest, "Little uncle, if it's not for you, then who? Hurry up and eat."
Saying this, she handed the bowl to his hands and then lowered her head to drink the rice.
Song Tingfan's fingers tapped on the edge of the bowl while holding it, looking at his sister-in-law with complexity.
Had sister-in-law turned good?
Seeing him holding the bowl ready to leave, Lin Qiao asked in confusion, "Where are you going?"
"Sister-in-law, I'm eating outside." Song Tingfan's eyes held a carefulness.
His sister-in-law disliked eating with him, saying she was repulsed seeing him.
In truth, it was indeed repulsing; the original self had seen three Song Family members die.
Even a normal person would be repulsed.
If Lin Qiao wanted to get closer to him, she certainly wouldn't let him eat outside, so she moved half a bench for him, "Little uncle, let's eat together."
The bench was long, with enough space for two people without crowding.
Song Tingfan hesitated for a moment but still took his bowl outside to eat.
Seeing his unease, Lin Qiao said nothing more; one can't rush things, they must go slowly.
Song Tingfan had a significant shadow in his heart.
She drank the watery rice, but it felt as if she hadn't eaten anything when she finished.
She touched her stomach.
Song Tingfan noticed her action, looked at the empty bowl with some guilt, and earnestly promised, "Sister-in-law, tomorrow I'll go hunting with Uncle, we should be able to catch something, and then I'll exchange it for rice."
Song Tingfan's uncle treated him well, but his aunt had objections, so his uncle didn't dare to help him too much.
Fortunately, the Song Family was a family of hunters; Song Tingfan knew a bit about hunting, so his uncle took him to the mountains.
Lin Qiao was now quite confused about this place and didn't rashly speak about earning money to support the family. She nodded and then tilted her head with a warm smile, "Little uncle, thank you for your trouble."
One shouldn't be stingy with words of praise when it comes to children.
Praise is like a piece of candy.
Song Tingfan shyly pinched the corner of his clothes, softly stammering, "Sister-in-law, it's no trouble."
It seemed as if Lin Qiao was a bit different today, for Song Tingfan carefully glanced at her again while cleaning up the bowls and chopsticks.
After returning to her room, Lin Qiao started rummaging around to see if the original self left any private savings.
It didn't take long before she found a small wooden box under the bed; beneath a few pieces of scrap cloth, there was a small piece of broken silver, probably half a tael, and a few dozen copper coins.
Pitifully little.
But still better than nothing.
In the countryside, although it was midsummer, the night had a chill. As Lin Qiao lay on the bed, she suddenly recalled that Song Tingfan was probably sleeping on straw.
The house originally had a bed, but it was sold due to lack of money.
The Song Family was originally not poor; they were a family of hunters. But Song Tingfan's brother, Song Tingyi, fell seriously ill at the age of fourteen with some strange illness that consumed much silver.
Later, Song Tingfan's parents, having no alternative, resorted to a bride for fortune and married Lin Qiao from the Lin Family.
At that time, the Song Family still had some money, while the Lin Family needed money for the medical treatment when their eldest son broke his leg, so they agreed to the marriage.
The original self wasn't inherently bad and consented to the marriage, but on the night she entered the family, Song Tingyi died.
Fortunately, the Song Family was wise enough not to blame her for being unlucky; they even treated her remarkably well.
Perhaps Song Tingyi's death was too much for the Song parents, and it wasn't long before his father died from a hunting accident.
After the loss of their son and husband, his mother, stricken by continuous blows and pent-up sorrow, also died not long after.
There's a significant plot about the bed being sold. It happened before the beating but appeared later in Song Tingfan's dreams.
In the dream, the depiction of selling the bed was detailed, with two figures etched on Song Tingfan's bed, carved by his father.
At the time, the dream didn't leave much impression, but now it seemed the change in Song Tingfan's mindset might have started from that bed.
Thinking of this, she got up, rummaged in the cupboard, and took out the last remaining quilt.
Song Tingfan's room was right next to hers; the Song Family house had one courtyard and three rooms, not too big nor too small.
She raised her hand and knocked on the door, "Knock, knock, knock..."
No response came, so she tried calling, "Little uncle, open the door, I'm bringing you a quilt."
Again, there was no reaction.
She found the door unlocked, so she pushed it open, but in the dim light, the straw mat was empty.
Just as she wondered where he'd gone, Song Tingfan's voice came from behind, "Sister-in-law."
That call of "sister-in-law" sounded almost ghostly, startling Lin Qiao, "Ah!" Instinctively, she stepped back a few paces, bumping into a stool, and fell onto the straw mat, "Ouch."
Her shoes, worn loosely, slipped off to one side. Even in the dim light, her small, white feet remained noticeable.
Song Tingfan naturally saw them, and his ears immediately turned red. He promptly turned away, stammering, "Sister-in-law, are you alright?"
Lin Qiao noticed his reaction, somewhat puzzled but didn't think much of it. Putting on her shoes, she got up and said, "I'm fine, it gets cold at night, so lay out the quilt." Saying so, she bent down and spread the quilt out for him.
She paused for a moment before adding, "Little uncle, in some time, I'll redeem the bed."
"Little uncle, sleep early."
After she left, Song Tingfan stared at the quilt on the straw mat, momentarily dazed, flashes of a couple embracing under a tree skimming through his mind.
Did sister-in-law...