Chapter 4
There was still a lot of maltose left in the clay pot. Mrs. Chen intended to add water and boil it again, but then she realized that there was no water in the house at all.
Mrs. Chen: “…”
Shen An was very astute. He grabbed the last clean bowl and rushed out, “I’ll go fetch some spring water.”
Mrs. Chen could only shout loudly after him, “Tell your old Chen to go with you!”
Sang Luo took a sip of the life-saving salt-sugar water and quickly flipped through the memories of the original body. She actually found this old lady.
She was a neighbor of the Shen family, an old lady who lived next door. Although Sang Luo was not very familiar with her in her previous life, when they first divided the family, there was a time when Sang Luo was collecting firewood and wild vegetables in the nearby mountains. She happened to run into the old lady tending to their family’s vegetable plot in the mountains. The old lady had asked if she wanted to plant some vegetables, and seeing Sang Luo nod, she had given her several seedlings.
At this moment, seeing that the savior brought by Shen An was Mrs. Chen, Sang Luo also guessed that the so-called borrowed food came from Mrs. Chen. She noticed the cloth bag placed on the stone by Mrs. Chen and realized that the borrowed food was indeed from her.
When Shen Ning came over to feed her water, Sang Luo first thanked Mrs. Chen.
However, Mrs. Chen didn’t take her gratitude to heart. She said indifferently, “I’m not doing this for you, but for these two children. Taxes have been increasing over the years, and everyone is struggling. We don’t have the spare capacity to help you. You have to stand on your own two feet.”
Mrs. Chen’s tone was cold, and she truly felt that Sang Luo was useless. When the Shen family first divided, she had encountered Sang Luo in the field and had intentionally given her many well-nurtured vegetable seedlings.
She had never expected that Sang Luo couldn’t plant vegetables at all.
Since you’ve never planted them before, why didn’t you ask? You never asked a single question, just said thank you and took the seedlings back to plant on your own. Now, when Mrs. Chen heard Sang Luo thank her, she felt annoyed. Having a mouth was for speaking and asking questions. It was useless to just know how to say thank you.
Therefore, Sang Luo left the impression on Mrs. Chen that she was useless, polite, but ignorant.
Now, looking at this house again, she estimated that apart from the stone hearth and a larger stone that could hold bowls, the house was still the same as when they moved in. In more than three months, they hadn’t been able to add anything to their meager possessions.
Therefore, in Mrs. Chen’s eyes, Sang Luo really didn’t know how to live. She even felt that it would have been better if Sang Luo hadn’t come to the Shen family. Her arrival had only burdened Shen An and Shen Ning, the two children.
At least without Sang Luo, Third Uncle Shen and his wife would never have dared to separate Shen An and Shen Ning like this.
Now that the family was divided, if Sang Luo were gone, the poor ones would be Shen An and Shen Ning.
Mrs. Chen’s words naturally weren’t very gentle. Sang Luo didn’t understand, but in such difficult times, the elderly couple of the Chen family had no blood relation with them, yet they were willing to provide food assistance. Sang Luo felt extremely grateful. Therefore, she didn’t mind the tone of the old lady and smiled lightly, “You’re right. When things get better this time, I will definitely pick myself up, at least to ensure that Shen An and Shen Ning won’t go hungry.”
Mrs. Chen: “…”
She had made such a big promise. They didn’t dare to say they could keep their children from going hungry, let alone Sang Luo, who had nothing at home. Without land or grain, how could she prevent the two children from going hungry? Did she really have the ability to eat up all the food in storage and almost starve to death at home?
However, neither Mrs. Chen nor Sang Luo, nor the two children of the Shen family, had any blood relation. They were barely neighbors, and it wasn’t worth mentioning. Mrs. Chen just nodded.
At this moment, Shen An came in with a bowl of water. Mrs. Chen turned around and went to boil water on the clay pot, dissolved the remaining half piece of maltose at the bottom of the pot, added some salt, and then she was done.
Seeing Shen Ning taking care of Sang Luo quite well, feeding her spoonful by spoonful of salt-sugar water, Sang Luo gradually recovered after drinking the salt-sugar water. Mrs. Chen didn’t linger any longer.
“We brought two liters of rice from home. After drinking the salt-sugar water, you should cook some porridge to eat. After a few days of rest, you should be able to recover,” said Mrs. Chen.
Yes, they could only rest and recuperate. In simpler terms, it meant enduring. In rural households, they couldn’t afford to visit clinics or consult doctors.
Sang Luo nodded, “Thank you, Grandma. I’ll repay you for the grain and sugar later.”
Although Mrs. Chen had mentally prepared herself for not getting the grain back when she lent it, hearing Sang Luo say she would repay her later, she didn’t insist on saying she didn’t need to be repaid. She poured the grain from the cloth bag into the empty bag Shen An had taken out, nodded, and said, “Alright, then we’ll go back first.”
Her husband was still waiting outside.
Shen An didn’t need Sang Luo’s instructions and quickly went to see the two guests off. However, he was stopped by Mrs. Chen at the door and sent back, “We’re grown-ups; there’s no need for a child like you to see us off. You might worry and end up needing to be sent back again. Go back and close the door.”
After closing the door of the grass hut, the two old people walked a few steps. Old Man Chen was walking when he was tapped on the arm by his wife.
Turning his head, he saw his wife raising a finger to her lips, indicating for him to be quiet.