"Squeak."
The door was pushed open, and the sky outside was half dark.
A stocky young man rolled in with the sultry evening wind.
It was elder brother Jiang Feng.
He was holding a large bamboo basket in his hand.
Jiang Mianmian couldn't help but peek out, hoping for something delicious, something good...
Big brother Jiang Feng looked a lot like Mother, probably a male version of young Mother.
He had thick brows, big eyes, a round face, and a loyal and reliable look.
He came in, put down the bamboo basket, and pushed away the grass on top.
Sure enough, he took out a long-tailed pheasant from inside...
Jiang Mianmian's eyes lit up, blinking her little eyes.
"Father, Mother, I hunted a mountain chicken, very nutritious, for Mother to eat."
The pheasant's tail was so beautiful, like a little peacock, colorful, and Jiang Mianmian couldn't help but lift her head.
Her father who was holding her turned in a direction to make it easier for her to watch, and then scolded:
"Ah Feng, you went hunting in Huayuan Mountain again. I told you last time, Huayuan Mountain belongs to Mr. Zhao in town. Mr. Zhao is cruel and ruthless. If you go hunting in his woods and get caught, you will surely be beaten to death."
Jiang Mianmian's heart was also clutched. This was the cannibalistic old society! Even hunting a wild chicken was life-threatening.
"Father, don't worry. I took the Village Chief's son and the Landlord Liu's young master with me. The Liu young master's family even produced a successful imperial examination candidate. Even if we get caught, with them there, we'll definitely be fine."
Jiang Feng still had that honest face.
Jiang Mianmian: ......(⊙▽⊙)???
She didn't expect her thick-browed, big-eyed brother to actually be so cunning. This...
"Mother I'll go prepare the pheasant." Jiang Feng took the pheasant and left, afraid of being scolded further.
The colorful feathers were so pretty. Jiang Mianmian wanted to keep watching, unable to resist the allure, shaking her little head.
Her father was extremely attentive. He turned her in a direction so she could watch.
Then she saw the stocky teenager with thick brows and big eyes swiftly chop and cut.
The lively, beautiful mountain chicken became a dead chicken, plucked clean. It was so small, no different from a little chicken, just with a slightly longer neck.
When brother was killing the chicken, sister Jiang Yu came home.
The family was complete.
Sister also looked a lot like Mother, a round-faced girl... Mother's genes were a bit too strong. Jiang Mianmian was a little worried about herself.
Sister bounced in.
As soon as sister came in, Father went out to help. She fell back into Mother's arms.
"Mother, look!"
Jiang Yu took out a package from her chest and opened it. Inside was a pile of pink powdery stuff, seeming a bit fragrant.
Jiang Mianmian sniffed. She wasn't sure if she had a sense of smell now, but she should.
"Mother, I went to help cook at Landlord Liu's. The housekeeper said I worked very nimbly and rewarded me with osmanthus cake. I brought it all back."
Osmanthus cake? Jiang Mianmian looked at the powder, having thought it was medicinal powder... Oh, my thinking is wrong.
Seeing sister's throat move as she talked, she was clearly drooling, yet didn't eat any.
This was an honest girl!!
"It's usually Cui who goes. Why did it fall to you today?" Mother asked.
Jiang Yu looked left and right, then whispered to Mother, "Everyone outside is saying that Landlord Liu's guards and Cui are having an affair. Cui's fiancé made a scene. When the housekeeper heard, he didn't want Cui to work there anymore."
Jiang Mianmian also pricked up her ears to listen to the gossip. She didn't expect such colorful news even in a small town.
Then she saw Mother use her free hand that wasn't holding her to flick Jiang Yu on the forehead.
"You must have spread this idle gossip. Aren't you afraid of people finding out? Spreading such rumors will ruin someone's entire life."
Jiang Yu looked unhappy and whispered in defense, "I'm telling the truth. Cui boasted to us, Guard Wu even gave her a silver hairpin. She's engaged but still fooling around with another man."
Jiang Mianmian: ......(⊙▽⊙)???
Sister was a bit fierce. Office politics was so cruel. She just wanted to help out with chores! She just wanted a piece of osmanthus cake!
Her mouth opened wide in shock.
Then some powdery cake was stuffed into her mouth. Oh, it was a bit sweet. She licked it and swallowed it, then opened her mouth again...
"You little rascal, spreading such rumors, aren't you afraid of being found out? It wouldn't be good for you either. If you really want to help cook, figure out a way to sprain that troublemaking woman Cui's leg. She'd have to wait on Mother then, and surely wouldn't be able to go. Then it would be your turn to go!"
Jiang Mianmian ate the osmanthus cake, looking up in surprise at kind-browed, kind-eyed, round-faced Mother.
"Cough cough cough..."
She nearly choked to death...
The osmanthus cake was a bit dry!