Hehua was instantly silent. Indeed, if things continued this way, neither she nor her beloved Douzi would survive long enough for him to take care of her in her old age.
"My brother has only Douzi as his hope, and I also do not want to see Douzi just die , but if Douzi does not survive, how can he carry on the family line for my brother, for this household? Sister-in-law, please listen to me. If that wretch refuses to help you, you should let Douzi be adopted by him, it’s important for Douzi to live," Xiao Xiaomei urged, to prevent this sister-in-law from seeking her aid in the future.
Hehua held Xiao Douzi tightly, tears dripping down, but she remained silent.
Xiao Xiaomei feigned a sigh, "Sister-in-law, Douzi is already grown up enough to understand some things. You treat him so well, he will remember your kindness. Maybe, when he grows up, he will still recognize you as his mother. You know, that wretch is living a very good life now. If you let Douzi be adopted by him, you are letting Douzi enjoy a life of fortune."
Upon hearing that her Douzi may still recognize her as his mother when he grew up, Hehua’s eyes lit up, and she hurriedly asked the Douzi in her arms, "Douzi, will you truly still recognize me as your mother in the future?"
"Mother, what are you talking about?" Xiao Douzi did not quite understand, "Aren’t you my mother?"
Upon hearing this, Hehua’s tears fell again. This was her son, the child she had carried for ten months, the son she had given birth to. She truly did not want to give him to someone else, but if she didn’t, how would they survive?
It was hard enough to provide for just one person in her family now.
"Douzi, Mother is going to let you be someone else’s son, and that family has lots of delicious food. Would you like that?" Hehua asked through her tears.
The four-year-old child didn’t understand much; hearing there was lots of delicious food, Xiao Douzi nodded his head extremely happily, "Willing, willing, Douzi is willing."
Hehua’s heart was wrenched, but she still continued to ask, "But once you become someone else’s son, will you still call me mother in the future?"
Xiao Douzi still did not fully grasp the situation, "Aren’t you my mother? Even if I become someone else’s son, you are still my mother."
Upon hearing this, Hehua was greatly comforted.
At the same time, she also understood in her heart that rather than letting her son starve to death with her, it was truly better to let Xiao Changyi raise him so her son could live a good life.
Sniffing, Hehua then nodded to Xiao Xiaomei, "Tomorrow I will go to that wretch, if he refuses to help us mother and son, I will let Douzi be adopted by them."
"My lord, Zhuri truly is a fine horse, isn’t he? Going out for a jaunt and then knowing to come back home," An Jing said, standing in the courtyard, admiring the majestic and leisurely Zhuri making his way back in, leaving distinct hoofprints on the ground. An Jing was generous with her praise.
Zhuri, perhaps not even hearing her words, sauntered very proudly toward the stable that she and her lord had built for him, like a Great General returning triumphant from battle.
Xiao Changyi came and wrapped his arms around her, and she instinctively leaned into his embrace, only to hear him say, "Its owners are here; where else would it go?"
An Jing immediately laughed, "Did you use to care for it this way?" Besides feeding it some fodder regularly, it seemed completely left to its own devices.
"Yes." He paused for a moment, "It’s better for it to run around. If it doesn’t run, it will get fat and lazy, and then wanting it to run fast later would be difficult."
An Jing suddenly understood. So, the horse was actually exercising its body — that’s why every day it would run off wildly, disappearing from sight, only to trot back and obediently stay in the stable.